Iran is ready to finance a multi-billion dollar gas pipeline in Pakistan, which has been delayed for two years due to Western pressure, the Fars news agency said on Wednesday, quoting an “informed source”. “Financial difficulties and obstruction by some Western countries have slowed down the construction of the pipeline on Pakistani soil,” Fars said. “To speed up the progress, Iranian Oil Ministry officials have proposed that Iran is ready to invest in the construction of the pipeline inside Pakistan” in addition to the one inside Iran, it added. In 2010, the government signed a deal with Iran under which Tehran would supply natural gas to its eastern neighbour from 2014, with sales to reach 750 million cubic feet to one billion cubic feet per day by mid-2015. The project envisaged a pipeline, 900 kilometres in length, be built from Assaluyeh in southern Iran to the border with Pakistan. Another 800-km pipeline is also needed inside Pakistan to receive gas from Iran’s South Pars field in the Gulf. While Iran has almost completed work on its side of the border, the plans in Pakistan have run into difficulty over reluctance by investors who fear they could be hit by sanctions. The government insists the pipeline is vital to efforts in overcoming the energy crisis it faces, but the United States has expressed strong objections to the project. It is urging the government to abandon the project because of sanctions against Iran over its controversial nuclear programme.
Pakistan should go for it and pay Iran back through barter of goods, wheat, rice etc.
Anything that derails this project is doing great harm to Pakistan's economic development …
Pakistan cannot accept any such offer happily unless palms of some high officials involved in its approval is greased with proper kickback.
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