Pakistan’s former finance minister and advisor to the Prime Minister on finance says it is possible that India and even China join Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project in future.
In an interview with IRNA on Tuesday, Dr. Salman Shah said, China and India will probably join the IP gas network. Once the gas starts flowing, India will like to join it and China has already expressed its willingness for joining the IP project.
The economist went on to say that capacity of IP gas pipeline needs to be enhanced if India and China join the pipeline network.
He also strongly believed that IP gas pipeline project is more feasible than the proposed TAPI pipeline project (A project which may carry Turkmenistan’s natural gas to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India in future).
The expert on financial affairs said that Iran has already completed the construction of pipeline on its side and now after Iran nuclear deal Pakistan can easily complete construction of its part without any obstacle.
“After the deal, there would be no difficulty for arranging finances for the IP pipeline,” he opined.
To a question he said that security situation of Afghanistan is a big question mark on the implementation of the TAPI.
The former minister said that ultimately both gas pipelines will be constructed and Pakistan needs both but IP will be constructed much earlier than the TAPI.
“The project would have far reaching impacts on the regional economies,” he believed.
Source: IRNA- Date: (21 July 2015)