ISLAMABAD — Policymakers of ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)government say the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project would be pursuedexpeditiously in the context of regional cooperation in the energy sector.
A report published in daily Express Tribune said the policymakers fearworst gas outages in the country in the coming years and anticipate thatthere will still be a gap of 3,263 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) in2022-23 despite gas pipeline projects.
It said in order to bridge the gap policy makers recommend the IP gaspipeline project with a capacity of 750 MMCFD –could be constructed on fasttrack basis with 24 months.
They also recommend vibrant petroleum policies to accelerate explorationand production (E&P) activities, construction of more LNG terminals andexpeditious implementation of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India(Tapi) project.
The policy makers feel that phenomenal growth in demand for transport fueland rising trend of the crude prices in the international market may pose achallenge to the PTI government.
Read Top Stories
“To supplement the indigenous gas supply in addition to the LNG imports,natural gas import projects like TAPI and the IP would be pursuedexpeditiously in the context of regional cooperation in the energy sector,”the PTI policymakers say in 12th Five Year Plan (2018-23) while discussingenergy scenario of Pakistan in the next five years.
Earlier ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Pakistan MehdiHonardoost talking to local media had urged Pakistan to take practicalsteps to complete much awaited IP gas pipeline project.
He said that according to the agreement the IP gas pipeline was to becompleted by December 2014 which would overcome energy problems of Pakistanin most feasible manner.
