KARACHI   -  Iranian Consul General (CG) to Karachi, Hassan Nourian on Monday lauding the foolproof security efforts of Pakistan during the Iranian President’s visit, said that Iran and Pakistan were committed and fighting tooth and nail to complete the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project.

He said that the project was to be completed in 2024 but delayed due to political and technical reasons. Speaking in Karachi Press Club (KPC)’s Meet the Press Programme,  Hassan Nourian said that Pakistan and Iran were one soul in two bodies.

He said that Iran wanted to help resolve energy crises of Pakistan and ready to assist in its development. The Consul General said that Iran was self-sufficient in crude oil and other resources and wanted to meet the needs of the region. He said that Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project started in 2009 as Iran-Pakistan-Indian gas pipeline project but owing to a few reasons India pulled herself out of the project.  Later, Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline came into existence and commenced work on the project in 2012.

The time period of the project was extended to ten years, which was expected to be completed in 2024 and could not meet its deadline, he said adding that the political leadership of Pakistan had tendency to complete the project.  The Consul General said that he was living in the metropolis and was well aware of people’s problems living without basic facility of gas in their homes for cooking and other purposes.

He said, ‘I have always had a constructive and friendly relationship with various Pakistani media and the media persons had also played a positive role in strengthening of friendship between the two countries.’ The Consul General said that Iran and Pakistan had always stood with each other in sweet and bitter times and both had behave like one soul in the two bodies. He said that in the latest development in the bilateral relations between Iran and Pakistan, we witnessed the official visit of the President of Iran to Pakistan and his visit to the three major cities of Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

He said that both the countries vowed to boost bilateral trade to $10 billion a year.  Nourian said, ‘It was stressed that the two countries agreed to expeditiously finalize the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and hold the next sessions of Annual Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC) and Joint Business Trade Committee (JBTC) as well as the 22nd round of the negotiations of the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) in the near future.’   They also agreed to facilitate regular exchange of economic and technical experts, as well as delegations from Chambers of Commerce from both countries to intensify economic cooperation.

 The declaration of the ‘Reemdan border point’ as an international border crossing point under TIR and opening of the remaining two border sustenance markets was also agreed during the meetings, he added.

The two sides also expressed their agreement to release each others’ prisoners. On the issue of security cooperation, both sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and recognized that terrorism posed a common threat to regional peace and stability and presented a major impediment to the development of the region, he added.

The Council General said Pakistan and Iran reaffirmed their commitment to the development of Afghanistan, and reaffirmed their willingness to enhance cooperation on counter-terrorism and security and  develop a united front against terrorism.

He said that  Iran had increased the electricity export required in Baluchistan and Gwadar region up to 200 megawatts and would not spare any help for the economic development of Pakistan.

Replying to a question, he said that Pakistan and Iran had appointed an officer in Turbat and Zahedan respectively to coordinate and inform about any activity by terrorist to high-ups of both the countries.

He pointed out that Israel had continued its brutal attacks on Gaza since October 07, 2023 and killed many innocent people.  Answering a question, he said that the Foreign Ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia met during a meeting of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and agreed on diplomatic and economic relations.