ISLAMABAD, Feb 12: An official team leaves for Turkmenistan on Monday to finalise $2.5 billion deal for proposed Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) pipeline project, officials said.

In their two-day talks, the delegation will review the developments on TAP and push their counterparts to expedite the 1800 km pipeline which will transmit gas from Daulatabad to Pakistan.

The delegation wiil be headed by Amanullah Jadoon, Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources. Earlier the delegation was scheduled to leave on Sunday, but later the programme was delayed. The team will reach Ashkabad on Tuesday.

The team comprise Prime Minister’s Adviser on Energy Mukhtar Ahmed, Secretary Petroleum Ahmed Waqar, Joint Secretary Development Jahangir Khan and Managing Director Interstate Gas Company Hassan Nawab.

Energy experts have warned Pakistan of gas shortage by 2010 and President Gen Pervez Musharraf has directed the concerned officials to speed up efforts to secure energy for country’s growing industry to sustain the ongoing ratio of economic development.

After the two-day talks in Ashkabad, the delegation will arrive in New Delhi and would hold talks with Indian Oil Minister Murli Deora.

The officials will asses Indian minister’s approach towards the mega TAP project and submit a report to the prime minister.

Officials told Dawn that the two countries would also hold talks on multi-billion dollar Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project and its feasibility on the face of the US resistance to the project.

“Pakistan is facing US opposition on the proposed IPI project, therefore, we have suggested to speed up some other options”, an official in the Ministry for Petroleum and Natural Resources said.

The other options despite being very costly are deemed as safe and included pipelines from Qatar and Turkmenistan, he added.

During his recent talks with Iranian Deputy Petroleum Minister Najeed Hosseinian, Mr Jadoon had said that IPI pipeline project would promote regional cooperation and would open up new avenues of interaction for the mutual advantages.