March, 31 2005	Thursday	20 Safar 1426

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NEW DELHI, March 30: Indian Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar has suggested routing the 4.16-billion dollar Iran-India gas pipeline through thickly populated areas of Pakistan to minimise the risk of a terrorist attack, an Indian news report said on Wednesday. Zeenews TV channel quoted Indian petroleum ministry sources as saying the 2600 km pipeline was planned to be completed by 2010.

Mr Aiyar has suggested that gas should move along the Makran coast, past Gwadar, through Hub Chowk, into Karachi and beyond to Umarkot and from there to Munnabao crossing in Rajasthan, according to his ministry officials.

They were quoted by Zeenews as saying that an agreement with Tehran for delivery of Iranian gas at a point on the Indian border is likely to be inked when Mr Aiyar visits the Islamic Republic in June. Iran would enter into a separate agreement with Islamabad for the 760-km transit through Pakistan.

Project consultants BHP Billiton had previously suggested that the gas move from Multan to a point somewhere near Jaisalmer. But Mr Aiyar feels that this should change considering that there is little population along that route, rendering the pipeline vulnerable to terrorist threats.

Mr Aiyar is also visiting Islamabad in second half of May to chalk out transit modalities, including the transit fee to be paid to Pakistan for using its territory for transmission of gas, the news channel said.