ISLAMABAD: The government has collected Rs332.107bn under the Gas Infrastructure Develop­ment Cess (GIDC) from January 2012 till Oct 31, 2021.

Out of the total collection, the government had spent Rs2.82bn on infrastructure projects — Turkmenistan, Afgha­nistan, Pakistan and India (TAPI) Gas Pipeline and Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline (PSGP), according to an official document available with APP.

The two gas pipeline projects have great significance for the country as its existing hydrocarbon deposits are dep­leting by 9pc annually and the oil and gas exploration companies could not find any major deposits.

Under the PSGP project, a 1,100-kilometre pipeline would be laid to transport 1.6 billion cubic feet per day of gas (mainly imported liquefied natural gas) from Karachi to Lahore, in collaboration with Russia.

Under the TAPI project, a gas pipeline would be laid from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan and Pakistan up to Pak-India border.

The planned construction and commissioning time of the project is two years after achievement of the financial close.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2022