EVEN before oath-taking, the government-in-wings has announced it will go ahead with the construction of the $10 billion Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (Tapi) gas pipeline project.

Afghanistan is a volatile region and India is an unreliable partner. The new government should weigh in all odds, including verbal assurances by Russia and the US. Why could not Pakistan complete the pipeline with next-door Iran? We are told that Iran has completed its portion of the pipeline.

Pakistan could learn from India. It has told the US that it cannot toe its hypocritical policy. On the one hand, America pressures India and other peripheral countries to follow sanctions. On the other hand, it wants to re-negotiate a deal with Iran.

The Chabahar port provides a crucial transport link to Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan. India will spend $500 million on Chabahar’s development and an additional $15bn on constructing roads and railways.

The first shipment of Indian grain destined for Afghanistan berthed at Chabahar earlier this week. The containers on board the vessel were unloaded and transported to Afghanistan through trucks. Last year, India sent two cargos of wheat to Chabahar to be shipped to Afghanistan to test route viability and broaden the cargo flow before the port becomes fully operational.

The US has reservations on request to the International Monetary Fund. The US wants information on our Chinese loans and their repayment terms.

China wants CPEC to escape South-China Sea blockade by the US. India wants Chabahar to bypass Pakistan. Why do we want to burden ourselves with TAPI?

Deeba Malik

Islamabad

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2018