Home > Business > Reuters > Report
Pakistan says gas pipeline does not need India
Zeeshan Haider in Islamabad |
June 05, 2003 09:40 IST
Pakistan said on Wednesday a natural gas pipeline planned to run from Central Asia to energy-starved South Asia will go ahead even if rival India refuses to join the project.
Pakistan's Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Nauraiz Shakoor Khan said construction of the 1,600-km pipeline from gas-rich Turkmenistan to Pakistan via Afghanistan could start as early as next year.
"If India does not participate, even then this gas pipeline is going to come to Pakistan," Khan told Reuters.
Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkmenistan -- the three key participants in the project -- formally invited India in April to join the pipeline that will snake through some of the world's most rugged and insecure terrain.
India has expressed concern over security but a recent thaw in its relations with fellow nuclear power Pakistan revived hopes for the project, that is expected to cost $2-2.5 billion and take three years to build.
Khan said pre-qualification of the companies interested in investing in the pipeline had been completed and the groundwork could start in early 2004.
"On paper, it had been decided that we are going to complete feasibility by September 2002 and to start (work) in the first quarter of next year," he said.
"It's on track. There is no problem as yet."
The pipeline will carry up to 30 billion cubic metres of natural gas per year from Turkmenistan's Daulatabad fields, the world's fourth-largest gas reserves.
It is intended to supply northern India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, as well as Pakistan's Arabian Sea ports for shipment to other Asian markets.
Khan said the project's steering committee is due to meet later this month in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, to review progress.
© Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
|
|
What do you think about the story?
|
|
|
|
Read what others have to say:
|
|
|
Number of User Comments: 3
|
|
|
|
Sub: The price-tag keeps changing !
Every time that an article is seen about this pipeline presumably of Cheney one curious thing happens. The price tag changes. It has so far ...
Posted by chanakya
|
|
|
|
Sub: Gas Pipeline
If the pipeline does not need India, then why are the Pakis barking so loudly ??? Even the Iran-Puki pipeline has the Pakis barking in ...
Posted by Shaw
|
|
|
|
Sub: Dream on Pakis !!!
Hahahaha ! India is the largest consumer of gas in the South Asian region and if India is not involved in this project then the ...
Posted by Chandan
|
|
|
|
Disclaimer