SIALKOT: The fate of Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project will be decided during a meeting between the Iranian president and Pakistani prime minister to be held in Tehran soon, says Iranian Consul General in Lahore Mohammad Hossain Bani Asadi.

He was replying to questions raised during a meeting with businessmen at the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Tuesday.

According to Mr Asadi, nothing could be said about the current status of the project. Under the agreement signed by the two countries, Iran had laid 950 km long pipeline. Unfortunately, he said, Pakistan had done nothing on its part due to unknown reasons. Three years would be needed to complete the project after Pakistan started work on its side, he added.

The consul general said the two countries would try to solve trade-related problems at a meeting of the Pakistan-Iran Joint Economic Commission to be held in Tehran next month.

Iran was keen to enhance mutual trade, he said, and pledged to remove all hurdles in its promotion.

Mr Asadi promised to motivate Iranian businessmen to buy Sialkot-made goods directly from Sialkot.

He said Iran was actively considering several proposals to promote official trade with Pakistan and reduce unofficial business. “We have a lot of unofficial trade.”

He urged businessmen to hold single-city exhibitions of their products in industrial cities of Iran.