Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that Pakistan will sign the agreement with a Chinese company to build gas pipeline from Gwadar to Nawabshah which is the main part of Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project.
President of China Xi Jinping will pay a two-day visit to Pakistan from Monday (April 20-21).
Talking to Iran’s state news agency, the minister said the gas pipeline project would cost about 3 billion dollars and will be built by CPPB (China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau), a part of CNPC (China National Petroleum Corporation).
According to the minister the building of the pipeline would start shortly after both sides sign the agreement and the project will be completed in 30 months. He added that Pakistani side was insisting on completing the project as soon as possible.
The pipeline project from Gwadar-Nawabshah is over 700 kilometers.
The minister went on to say that the pipeline from Gwadar to Iran border (about 80 km) will be built by two Pakistani companies SNGPL (Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited) and SSGC (Sui Southern Gas Company) and it will be completed before Gwadar-Nawabshah pipeline.
The deadline for the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline agreement expired on December 31, 2104. Iran has almost completed its portion of the project but Pakistani side has yet to begin the construction of the pipeline on its territory.
With this move, China is sure to wean away Iran, to it's camp. And sound the death knell for US hegemony in cornering the hydrocarbon resources of this region.
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