Pak Willing To Join Indo-Iran Gas Pipeline Project

Pakistan has expressed its willingness to join the $5 billion project to build the proposed natural gas pipeline from Iran to India.

Islamabad is understood to have shown interest in the Indo-Iran venture during discussions between Pakistani and Iranian officials to conduct feasibility studies on the proposed route which will have to pass through either Pakistani territorial waters or land.

External affairs minister I K Gujral, who discussed the proposed project to lay 2,000 kms of pipeline to supply 50 million cubic metres of gas to India every year, told newspersons there were indications that Pakistan too wanted to join the project. He, however said Islamabad would have to show explicit interest in the project like India and Iran have done.

If Pakistan wishes to join the project at any stage in future, we will see India keeping all its options open.

In reply to a specific query about the prospects of Pakistan entering the Indo-Iran joint venture to tap the huge natural gas reserves in Iran, Gujral said, I do not rule out the possibility of Pakistan joining the project.

Gujral said Iran had 15 per cent of the total proven natural gas reserves in the world and our region needs gas in the post cold war era. He said, Economic development is very important for us, and naturally international relations will have to keep this factor and the urgency of these things in mind.

However, observers here said the prospects of a tripartite venture between India, Iran and Pakistan will largely depend on the shape of Indo-Pak relations in the coming years.

Pakistan had earlier declined to permit the laying of the Iran-India gas pipeline through its territorial waters, dealing a severe blow to the prospects of the joint venture.

According to media reports at that time, the Pakistan cabinet had taken the decision at a meeting, citing various techno-economic, defence and strategic reasons.