Islamabad, Nov 13, IRNA – Pakistan has told the United States that it is under “contractual obligations” to complete the Iran gas pipeline project.
Pakistan’s Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif made the remarks during his visit to Washington for talks on energy cooperation between the two country.

The Minister told Dawn newspaper in Washington that improved relations between the United States and Iran would also ease American pressures on the pipeline.

“Building the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline is our contractual liability,” said Khawaja Asif while explaining his government’s position on the project. “If we do not, we will have to pay the penalty for breaching the contract,” he was quoted in reported remarks om Wednesday.

Without naming the US administration, the minister said that those who wanted Pakistan not to build the project “should be ready to pay the fines”.

Pakistan insists that the pipeline project does not breach this law as Iran, and not foreign investors, were building the pipeline.

Last week, the US and Iran came close to reducing their differences which, Mr Asif said, was a good sign for the pipeline project.

Officials who attended the meeting said delegates also considered a proposal for the integration of energy infrastructure in South Asia, which can bring gas and oil from energy-rich to energy-starved nations.

Carlos Pascual, the US Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs, the two visiting ministers from Pakistan and the US ambassador in Islamabad, Richard Olson, co-chaired Tuesday’s meeting.

Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who is also in Washington, said Pakistan was seeking new technology and investments from the United States to meet its ever increasing energy demands.

By IRNA

 

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