ISLAMABAD: A senior Pakistani official denied the country was facing any pressure from the United States on the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline.
Chairman of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources Syed Dilawar Abbas told IRNA here on Tuesday that his country did not face any outside pressure on the proposed project.
He was happy that like the previous deliberations, Pakistan and Iran’s Joint Working Group’s recent meeting in Tehran had been a success and there was no problem or hurdle from either side. The senator said that Pakistan would never come under pressure on the project, being seen very crucial to meet its growing energy requirements.
India, not Pakistan appears to be under US pressure as New Delhi voted for referral of Iran’s nuclear issue to the United Nations Security Council, he argued. On the contrary, he added, Pakistan abstained that went in favor of Iran demonstrating its sovereign approach on the issue. Reports appeared in recent months that the United States was impressing upon both Pakistan and India to quit the project.
To a question, the senator, who has been associated with Attock Oil Refinery for several years as a petroleum expert, said Pakistan’s expertise in handling of the two pipelines of hundreds of kilometers in length could be handy when the IPI gas pipeline would be laid.
He agreed that the pace of talks on the project witnessed some sluggish, mainly because of the deadliest earthquake in Pakistan and in Kashmir early last month. The exert, however, added, it was encouraging to note that the negotiations were moving forward without any disagreement or difference of opinion among the three stake-holders.
Surfaced in mid-90s, the idea to lay the multi-billion dollar pipeline could not make progress towards realization due to Pak-India tensions on Kashmir issue. However, since Pak-India peace process last year, things have significantly changed. Pakistan believes that the three countries could sign the final agreement on the project by June next year. Senator Abbas was hopeful that the project would further strengthen Iran-Pak relations, based on common faith, history and culture. I expect some concessions for Pakistan from brotherly Iran vis-a-vis the project, he smilingly concluded. | 
Health
