Construction work on Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project is underway and 1,100 kilometres of gas pipeline have been completed on the Iranian side and the progress on the Pakistani side is also satisfactory. This was stated by Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Dr Asim Hussain in briefing to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Wednesday.
During the briefing, the prime minister directed the minister to prepare a comprehensive strategy to meet the energy needs, particularly gas and petroleum requirements, in the next two years. He also stressed the need for a gas load management plan for the country.
Gilani reiterated the government’s commitment to explore all possible options to ensure availability of electricity and gas across the country and expressed confidence that besides tapping indigenous sources, agreements with other regional countries to meet our energy needs would bear positive results.
Earlier, the petroleum minister briefed the prime minister on his recent visit to Iran and his meeting with the Iranian minister for energy. Detailing the import of electricity from Iran, he said an Iranian team of experts would be arriving in Pakistan soon to assess the details of the project, particularly linking the power to the national grid.
The minister also briefed the prime minister on progress on LNG terminal. He said work on KPD (Kunner Pasaki Deep) had started and 100MMCF of gas would be available from October this year.
Hussain said 17 international bidders had shown expression of interest for supply of energy and gas to Pakistan.
Prominent among the interested companies were Shell, Vital, GDF, Norwegian Fund and Daewoo Group. The minister also discussed gas price rationalisation prospects and also assured the prime minister that the gas load management plan for the country would be announced soon.
