Islamabad: Pakistan has decided to complete the stalled Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project to avoid a fine of 18 billion dollars. In the first phase, an 80 km long pipeline will be laid from the Iranian border to Gwadar.
According to reports, Iran has given 180 days to complete the gas pipeline, which will be completed in September 2024.
Experts say that Iran can go to the International Court of Justice for non-implementation of the project, which may impose a fine on Pakistan, but in this case diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Iran will be severed, which is the reason why Iran is flexible. is demonstrating, while Pakistan has also decided to complete the project keeping the American pressure at bay.
Sources say that the Petroleum Division is awaiting cabinet approval to start work on the Pak-Iran gas pipeline project, while the Gas Infrastructure Development Board has also been asked to speed up the process of financing the project.
It should be noted that the 350 billion rupees collected for gas infrastructure was spent by the government on projects like the Orange Line train instead of the gas pipeline, while the industrialists belonging to the fertilizer industry received 450 billion rupees from the farmers but did not give it to the government. are denied. During the Tehreek-e-Insaaf regime, the government waived off 50% and the remaining installments were made, but despite this, the industrialists did not make any payment.
The gas pipeline project was signed by Asif Zardari during his government, but the Nawaz Sharif government delayed it due to the pressure of Saudi Arabia and the United States.
