TEHRAN : Importing gas from Iran is the most reasonable solution for Pakistan to meet its domestic consumption, Managing Director of Iran’s Gas Engineering and Development Company Alireza Gharibi said, according to Iran’s ILNA News Agency. “We have so far completed laying 123 kilometers of pipeline on the Iranian soil and just the Iran shahr part is left,” he said, adding that a total of 300 kilometers of pipelines is yet to be laid in bothsides.
“If Pakistan starts construction of its share, then Iran can start pumping gas to Islamabad by December,” he explained.
“In case Islamabad fails to construct its share, we need to use our pipes elsewhere,” Gharibi said.
He went on to note that by laying Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, Tehran is mainly investing to expand its national gas network and only 30 percent of the expenses are related to the exports project.
The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline is projected to cost $1.2-1.5 billion, and will allow exporting 21.5 million cubic meters of Iranian natural gas to Pakistan on a daily basis.