Seminar: Defying odds to complete Iran-Pakistan pipeline

Consul General Hassan Darvashvand says they will not be deterred by external pressure.

PESHAWAR:

Faced with increasing pressure from the US, the long-awaited Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline is to be completed at all costs by the end of 2014. This was stated by   Consul General of Iran Hassan Darvashvand on Wednesday.

Addressing a one-day seminar titled ‘Pakistan-Iran Gas Pipeline Project Agreement – New Era of Relationship’, Darvashvand said 110 million cubic feet of gas will be available to Pakistan per day under the project. This, he added, would solve much of the electricity gas shortage in the energy starved country. The seminar was organised by the University of Peshawar’s Department of Political Science at Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum Hall.

Darvashvand explained the pipeline, originating from Iran’s Faras province, would extend over a distance of 1,100 kilometres within Iran, adding a mere 100 kilometres worth of work is left on the Iranian side of the project. 780 kilometres of pipeline will be laid within Pakistan and construction work began a month ago, he said.

The envoy went on to state the cost of the project in Pakistan was around $1.5 billion. Of this, $500 million will be provided by Iran, while the rest of the cost would be met by the host country. He termed the project a stabilizer for the region and lamented India’s decision to withdraw from the project.

According to Darvashand, the project was originally for Iran, Pakistan and India (IPI) with a pipeline covering a distance of 2,700 kilometres at an estimated cost of $7 billion. He added the idea was initially proposed by a Pakistani engineer in 1950 to strengthen the regional economy and decrease animosity amongst bordering nations.

Darvashand said Pakistan and Iran were potential economic powers with a population of 250 million people that have a desire for economic revival and regional peace.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 11^th, 2013.