ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that Islamabad will go-ahead with its multibillion dollar projects with Iran and called for immediate steps to lift the ceiling of the bilateral trade to $10 billion.
According to a private radio channel, in a meeting with the Iranian Ambassador to Islamabad Alireza Haqiqian, the Pakistani premier said that both countries should ensure the expeditious implementation of bilateral projects including the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline and other electricity projects. Tehran and Islamabad have repeatedly stressed the importance of constructing the IP gas pipeline despite the pressure from the United States.
The multibillion-dollar gas pipeline is aimed at exporting a daily amount of 21.5 million cubic metres of the Iranian natural gas to Pakistan. The maximum daily gas transfer capacity of the 56-inch pipeline spanning over 900 kilometres (km) of Iran’s soil from Bushehr province to the city of Iranshahr in the Iranian Balochistan province is 110 million cubic metres. Iran has already constructed 900 km of the pipeline on its soil.
Ashraf said that his country’s relations with Iran were deeply rooted in historical, cultural and religious levels. He also pointed to the forthcoming 16th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (Nam) in Tehran and added that Pakistan looked forward to working closely with Iran for a positive outcome of the summit to uphold the Nam principles.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 12th, 2012.
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@Sony Neighbour ok, but brother, I am not sure. We need to look at Iran's regional ambitions. Notwithstanding, economic ties with any country which is beneficial to our country esp with neighbours should be supported.
Talks should be materialized.... into actions....
@Sonya: Our other brother, Saudi Arabi, is jealous of our relationship :p and ironically interest of saud family (not Saudi Arabi as a country) is in direct conflict.
@anwar:
Clearly anwar does not understand sarcasm ..
Think bigger and blend your ideas with future of Pakistan. We should go for it in any case. This is our future and we are responsible to develop our country not the western people and governments.
Stop all trade with America and start trading with Iran instead. Put your money where your mouth is.
Where is America and Israel? This IP project needs to be stopped NOW... ???
Clearly Vikas lives elsewhere... cloud 9
@Sonya "Neither brothers nor neighbours can be changed, Iran is both to Pakistan"
Totally agree! well said! Pakistan Iran relations need to be at its best
Where is America and Israel? This IP project needs to be stopped NOW
good, this project is very important for pakistan. we can not stop integrating with our neighbors just because the US has a rift with iran these days. these projects have to be done at any cost. the us will get over it...
Neither brothers nor neighbours can be changed, Iran is both to Pakistan. If not an enemy, America is not a friend either who keeps her interest supreme; America is an arrogant capitalist country where every relationship is equated with money. (re:Raja Mujtaba). Pakistan has already brokered a deal with Iran for pipeline project. Besides, it will purchase 1,000 MW electricity transmission line and 100MW Gwadar power supply. Owing to its heavy energy needs, Pakistan cannot afford to delink from these agreed energy projects irrespective of the US or Saudi pressure. More recently, Iran has shown its willingness to supply 80,000 of barrels of crude oil per day to Pakistan on a 3-month deferred payment, which is another very welcoming gesture by Iranian brothers. Pakistan also feels that, UN sanctions do not cover this pipeline project, thus it remains committed to the project. Otherwise, in case, Pakistan backtracked from this deal under US or Saudi pressure, it will have to face many repercussions, first being the violation of international law. Apart from that, scrapping of this deal would be amounting to spoiling its brotherly relations with Iran, which have repaired over the years, after remaining strained for quite some time since early 1990s when US Saudi venture was in swing in Afghanistan.