ASHGABAT: Terming the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (Tapi) gas pipeline project an important trade and transit corridor, President Mamnoon Hussain on Saturday called for its timely completion for the benefit of the region.

Mr Hussain expressed these views during a meeting with his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Malik­gulyevich Berdimuhamedov at the Presidential Palace. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games being held in Ashgabat.

President Hussain said the Tapi project had huge prospects in the field of road, electricity transmission and fibre optic lines, and in establishment of economic zones.

Turkmenistan’s offer to export 1,000MW of electricity welcomed

He welcomed Turkmenistan’s offer to export 1,000MW of electricity to Pakistan through Afghanistan and emphasised on both the countries to work towards materialising the project. He said Pakistan was ready to negotiate with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for financial support.

He stressed on cooperation between Pakistan and Turkmenistan in trade, energy, agriculture, education, science and technology, infrastructure and transportation, besides mutual support for each other at regional and international fora.

In view of immense opportunities in exploration and production of oil and gas sector, Mamnoon Hussain said the state-owned companies in both the countries should negotiate the possibility of joint ventures.

He said that Pakistan had formally declared of joining the Ashgabat Agreement (Central Asia-Middle East Corridor) and the Lapis Lazuli Corridor.

Pakistan and Turkmenistan, he said, enjoyed fraternal ties rooted in common culture and history which were further strengthened by shared goals of peace, prosperity and progress of the two countries.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2017