Afghanistan Will Raise Force for TAPI Security

Afghanistan will raise a 7,000-member security force to guard the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, reported Radio Pakistan on Monday.

Daud Shah Saba, Afghan Minister of Mines and Petroleum, told Upper House in Kabul that the force will be responsible for the security of the project inside the Afghan territory during the implementation and demining stage.

The Minister added that the procurement process for demining will be completed next month and work on clearing of the pipeline passage would commence in April.

Earlier this month, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani talked about the importance of TAPI gas pipeline project to a gathering of tribal elders. He told the gathering that the pipeline project is of enormous economic importance and would change Afghanistan into an economic hub in the region.

The much delayed project was formally inaugurated on December 13.

The ground breaking ceremony, which was held in Mary in the southeastern part of Turkmenistan, was attended by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani along with Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Indian Vice President Muhammad Hamid Ansari.