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ISLAMABAD: Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (Tapi) agreed on Wednesday to give a final push to the stalled gas pipeline project in the region.
The agreement emerged during a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif which was attended by the ministers from TAPI member countries.
It was also agreed during the meeting that a consortium leader would soon be finalised for the project’s immediate commencement.
Terming the project “very important for all countries of the region”, the premier said Pakistan was keen to expedite the deal.
“Pakistan would be happy to play a positive role in this regard,” Nawaz remarked.
The premier told the meeting that Pakistan was facing a shortage of gas, and this project would help the country in meeting the deficit. He further added, “We all should take this opportunity seriously so that we can fulfil our obligation to our people.”
It was emphasised in the meeting that all concerned states should take necessary steps to start the project at the earliest as the cost would rise with the passage of time.
The visiting ministers of the member countries shared similar views and called the project a “win-win” situation for all the countries.
It was also reminded during the meeting that an inter-governmental agreement had been signed by the head of the member states in 2010.
The gas pipeline project of 1,680km pipeline is designed with a capacity to supply 3.2 billion cubic feet of natural gas per annum (Bcfd) from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.
Turkmenistan Director State Agency for Management and Use of Hydrocarbon Resource Yagshgeldi Kakayev, Afghanistan Minister of Mines and Petroleum Daoudshah Saba, India Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan and Director General Asian Development Bank Manila Klaus Gerhaeusser among others attended the meeting.
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Comments (43) Closed
Feb 11, 2015 05:31pm
Why would dawn not show Kashmir as at least a disputed territory? Its a bad project, the economics of iranian pipeline is more feasible. And frankly we dont need the indians, the project is better off without them.
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Feb 11, 2015 05:34pm
We are listening about TAPI sice 2 decades ago but still no development on ground levels...
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Feb 11, 2015 05:41pm
@Hassan Most probably my comment won't get published because of the truth I say and not the fictions which the media wants to fool the people with.....what Hassan is saying does make sense that Pakistan should abandon Indian designs and not adhere to what benefits them. But with all sell out govt officials and media jerks, what else is expected.
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Feb 11, 2015 05:48pm
Why are we pressured to take gas from Turkemenistan when it is much easier to get it from Iran. The Iran side is already complete, all we are scared of are western sanctions. Turkey also buys energy from Iran but got no sanctions because it has a strong leader.
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Feb 11, 2015 06:01pm
Wow! proud of Pakistan. The economic activity and progress are phenomenal. The Chinese Economic corridor to Gawadar, TAP and IP pipelines. Inclusion of India, only if it resolves Kashmir. Chinese goods to entire Middle east, central Asia and beyond. Oil to hungry China. Just the transit fees are estimated at $ 100 billion.
India should grow with the region, resolve Kashmir and let its citizens get the economic benefits of peace and trade. No need to occupy lands that will eventually gain freedom.
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Feb 11, 2015 06:18pm
This project is not in our intrest...its Iindian intrests backed by US....
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Feb 11, 2015 06:19pm
Without India the project is doomed. However Pakistan was not willing to give any transit guarantees and hence India was not interested.
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Feb 11, 2015 06:24pm
it is not viable because of Afghanistan instability Iran option is far better and realistic.
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Feb 11, 2015 06:27pm
@Hassan
Stop with the prejudice against India, yeah we have differences with them but what has that to do with an economic project.
We need that pipeline much much more than anyone else. Our industry is dying. Our homes have no gas
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Feb 11, 2015 06:28pm
@Hassan : The project is not going to be much profitable for Turkmenistan unless the pipeline ends at India or China. So what do you suggest now?
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Feb 11, 2015 06:48pm
Good project if it will reach its destination.
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Feb 11, 2015 06:50pm
TAPI was initialed in 2010, what are the economics of it now as the crude/energy prices would stay around $50 for near term and settle around $28-$35 range for foreseeable future.
Pakistani politicians are probably busy trying to buy land where this pipeline would travel through and hence the inordinate delay.
The IPI pipeline is almost ready and if Pakistan would only understand how India is able to import Iranian Crude although no direct borders exists, maybe it can learn the ingenious way of putting its country's interest ahead of personal/Religious preferences and do the right thing.
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Feb 11, 2015 06:57pm
If India can stop meddling in Baluchistan and reign in the TTP, there are plenty of natural resources to be home delivered to Pakistan and India from central Asia and Iran. Win-Win for everyone.
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Feb 11, 2015 06:58pm
It is 3.2 Billion cubic feet of natural gas per day (not per annum ) as indicated in the article.
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Feb 11, 2015 06:59pm
The Iran pipeline is already completed, so that is a much better option.
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Feb 11, 2015 07:10pm
Not only India but your brotherhood country Iran is showing any interest in Iran-Pakistan-India as Pakistan is not capable of handling terrorist attacks on the pipeline .Alternatively ,India is already started construction of Chabahar port in Iran to transport crude through sea route not only for India and for other countries also
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Feb 11, 2015 07:17pm
@Hassan if Afghanistan push with Pashtoonistan and Pakistan push for Kashmir, then expect millions of death. That is what you want????
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Feb 11, 2015 07:50pm
This is a good way of passing time without doing anything, because the already at least-half completed Iran-Pak gas pipeline is the real and the only viable project at hand.
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Feb 11, 2015 08:30pm
@Ramesh Nakhwa
that's what indians said about the IP pipeline, but even without india it is happening. You seem to have given your own country too much self importance yet again.
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Feb 11, 2015 09:00pm
@Zak & @Hassan
You missed one key point here. Whoever uses the gas has to pay for it. How do you think Pak will pay for it? Donations?
The initial cost of setting up & securing the pipeline will be so high that Pakistan has to slog off for centuries just to break even. If this pipeline doesn't reach India then this project will never see the light of the day.
China won't be interested in this project, because if it needs gas from Turkmenistan or Russia, then it'll setup a shorter (hence cheaper) pipeline via Uzbekistan & Tajikistan.
India, on the contrary, may support that project (shorter route via China) as the security risks will be negligible provided China agrees to extend that pipeline to enter India from its Northern border - which would make perfect business sense.
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Feb 11, 2015 09:10pm
TAPI project being revived since the 90's. At this pace our children's children will see through its revival.
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Feb 11, 2015 09:28pm
The American's have pulled out of TAPI and they have historically been the driving force which binds the various parties involved in the complicated and expensive projects ... without them I fear this project won't go anywhere.
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Feb 11, 2015 09:37pm
@Hassan without you can't get tapi.. you will get tap only.... i hope you know the of tap
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Feb 11, 2015 09:37pm
What happened to Pakistan Iran gas pipeline. Mr. Nawaz Sharif failed in executing that project what else one can expect from him.!!!
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Feb 11, 2015 09:38pm
TAPI is decades away. Pakistan cannot even complete its side of the IP gas pipeline, day dreaming TAPI is foolish. She is actually liable to penalties according to her agreement with Iran for not having built the IP part pipeline in Baluchistan. Currently, India does not need TAPI gas as it is importing a lot from Iran. Indeed, in her current budget India earmarked IR500B to build a pipeline inside India to her Wagha border to export the imported Iranian gas at cost price. As Indo-Pak relations are bad India will not even build the pipeline to Wagha. TAPI is just a far off dream.
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Feb 11, 2015 09:45pm
@Haroon Rashid Khan Exactly we dont have money to even start the pipeline to Iran after 5 years how will they complete this one? Anyways I think the Saudis have a hand in this and potentially their $1 billion gift has some influence.
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Feb 11, 2015 09:49pm
Why Pakistani rulers are hesitant to go for a more viable and less expensive solution that is Iran Pakistan Gas pipe line
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Feb 11, 2015 09:58pm
What became of Iran-Pakistan-India gas pile line??
Our rulers do not want the nation to progress in any way what so ever, they just build up 'hope' and nothing ever seems to get done!
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Feb 11, 2015 10:25pm
@Dhanku 1680 km length of pipeline is required up to India. For supply of gas to Pakistan only, half of the above length is enough and very feasible.
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Feb 11, 2015 10:44pm
India is not part of the project.
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Feb 11, 2015 10:46pm
@zak ha ha.u got good sense of humour.
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Feb 11, 2015 10:55pm
@Dhanku India is too unstable. We can do without India but not without China.
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Feb 11, 2015 11:38pm
@deven thank you.
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Feb 11, 2015 11:40pm
@Hassan Sir jee which world are you living in ...where are the resources to lay the pipleline ? If India is not there in the project it would not be feasible as none of the other members have the $ for the project !!
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Feb 11, 2015 11:45pm
@Akram IP is different from TAPI.IP is a small project and can be profitable for small needs of Pakistan.for TAPI or TAP it has to supply at least an amount of gas which Pakistan cant buy or doesnt need
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Feb 12, 2015 12:14am
@Hassan
Iranian pipeline passes through Baluchistan where separatists blowing up pipelines. So, feaisble or not, Iranian gas or gas from Baluchistan is not getting to Punjab. Iran has always hostile to Pakistan and has more favorable attitude towrds Paksitan's neighbor.
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Feb 12, 2015 01:26am
WOW! I wonder who is making the feasibility of this four country long project. Dear well wishers of Pakistan please don't be so optimistic until we have those at the helm of affairs who cannot even take gas from next door (Iran) and get us into a fuel crisis at the time when international oil prices are rock bottom.
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Feb 12, 2015 02:53am
Iranian pipeline is knocking on border to take their pipeline inside our territory(Pakistan). First look at these project. This is more profitable then TAPI. Why we need long pipeline to Turkemenistan. Can not digest the idea.
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Feb 12, 2015 07:38am
@Tariq, Lahore Tariqbhai, this pipeline will only happen if the Lahore - Delhi - Indore - Ahmedabad - Karachi - Mumbai - development crescent comes to fruition. Am I dreaming, probably not, that may be the future.
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Feb 12, 2015 07:40am
@Ajmal pastoons are very patriotc; they form a decent portion of the army. we will never join Afghanistan. .... rubble of a country but would OK if Afghanistan joins Pakistan and forms a larger part of KPK. ttp still not welcomed
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Feb 12, 2015 07:53am
This project is there because of India only... India is the only country who can consume this huge amount of gas.
Without India there is no need to laying some many pipes
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Feb 12, 2015 09:52am
@Hassan You really think so? First, you must understand as to what is the capital cost of the project from Iranian Gas fields to Pakistani consumers. Then, it must be decided who will this project. Pakistan has none and therefore must survive on its transit geographical location. Then comes the question of paying for gas, which other consortium members would not payout for Pakistan, it must bear its own expenses. Operation of the pipeline, compressor boosting stations, SCADA system etc must be maintained by Pakistan in its own territory, which requires technical skills and is a cost factor. Lastly, the proposed pipeline passes through hostile terrains of Balochistan, where locals are not taken on board. IP cannot exist, it needs to be IPI or nothing. IP cannot ever be cost effective without a big consumer like india.
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Feb 13, 2015 12:26am
@Dwaraka nath chahbahar is nothing compared to gwadar and besides it's hardly operational
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