ISLAMABAD
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, while chairing a meeting on Turkmenistan - Afghanistan - Pakistan - India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, said that Pakistan wanted expeditious completion of the project which is of vital importance for regional countries.
During the meeting which was held here at Prime Minister’s House on Wednesday, Yagshgeldi Kakayev, Director, State Agency for Management & Use of Hydrocarbon Resources at the President of Turkmenistan; Daoudshah Saba, Minister of Mines and Petroleum, Afghanistan; Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, India; Klaus Gerhaeusser, DG Asian Development Bank Manila, Philippines and other senior officers gave their inputs about the project. The Prime Minster said that the project was of vital important for all countries of the region and Pakistan was keen to see its early completion. He said Pakistan would be happy to play a positive role in this regard. The Prime Minister said, “We are facing shortage of gas, and this project will help us immensely in meeting the deficit. We all should take this opportunity seriously so that we can fulfill our obligation to our peoples.”
The Prime Minister emphasized that concerned states should take all steps necessary to start the project as soon as possible as its cost would continue to increase as time passes. We have pinned lots of hopes with this project and want it completed as soon as possible, he added. The visiting ministers of the member countries shared the views of Pakistan on this very important project for the region and called this a win-win project for all the countries. The meeting agreed that a consortium leader would soon be finalized.
The Prime Minister was informed that an Intergovernmental Agreement was signed by the Head of States of all the members of TAPI in 2010. The gas pipeline project of 1,680km pipeline with design capacity to supply 3.2 billion cubic feet of natural gas per annum (bcfd) from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.
Pak-Afghan-Tajik transit trade pact soon
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islamabad
Minister for Commerce Khurram Dastgir Khan said on Wednesday that Transit Trade Agreement between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan is expected to be finalized soon to propel country’s exports besides expanding market access to Central Asian Republics (CARs) through shortest land routes for exports of Pakistani products.
In a statement issued here, the minister said that after finalization Pakistan Afghanistan and Tajikistan (PAT) Transit Trade Agreement would usher in a new era of prosperity which would have far reaching impact on the country’s exports.
Khurram Dastgir Khan further said for promotion of trade with Central Asian states, negotiations are underway for abolishing extra duty on exports and duty guarantee from Afghanistan. He said Pakistan would also provide equal facilities to the Afghan traders in term of transit trade and with the provision of these facilities, an environment of confidence between the two countries would be evolved. The minister said during the tenure of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Pak-Afghan trade would boost rapidly and agreements made during his visit to Pakistan would be implemented.