LAHORE, July 13: An Indian delegation will visit Pakistan next month for secretary level talks on Iran-Pakistan-India multi-billion dollar gas pipeline project. This was stated by Federal Petroleum Secretary Ahmad Waqar while talking to the press on his return from New Delhi at Lahore Airport on Wednesday evening. Mr Waqar led an eight-member Pakistan delegation at the maiden meeting of Joint Working Group on Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project held in the Indian capital on July 12-13.
Other members of the delegation included foreign office spokesman Jalil Abbas Jeelani, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) managing-director Abdul Rashid Lone and technical and financial experts.
“The talks with Indian officials on the pipeline project were very positive,” Ahmad Waqar said.
He said the two sides held in-depth discussion on the technical, financial, commercial and legal aspects of the project.
Ahmad Waqar said both Indian and Pakistani sides shared data on their future needs of gas.
“We have made it clear to India that Iran-Pakistan gasline project is also economically feasible and Indian inclusion can increase its viability,” he said.
Responding to a question, he said a financial advisory consortium would soon be appointed for advice on project structure and related technical, financial, commercial and legal matters.
On security issue, Ahmad Waqar said Pakistan had assured India that it would be in line with that of any world class gasline project.
He said after the signing of a bilateral agreement between India and Pakistan, it would be converted into a multi-lateral agreement by including Iran.
Talking to reporters on this occasion, SNGPL managing-director Abdul Rashid Lone said both the countries had agreed to work on a framework agreement.
“Hopefully, this framework agreement will be concluded by the end of this year,” he said.
