India-Pakistan Tension Over Kashmir Won't Affect Tapi: Press

The ongoing tension between India and Pakistan over the disputed territory of Kashmir will not impact the $10bn four-nation Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (Tapi) pipeline project, The Express Tribune reported September 15 quoting a senior Pakistani government official.

“There has been tension between Pakistan and India over Kashmir. However, this will not affect the TAPI pipeline project,” the official said.

Tapi is planned to be 1,814 km long, of which 214 km run through Turkmenistan, 774 km through Afghanistan, and 826 km through Pakistan to the border with India. Work on the Afghan section of the Tapi pipeline started in February last year, with a groundbreaking ceremony taking place in Herat city. 

The much-delayed pipeline aims to transfer 33bn m³/yr of gas from Turkmenistan’s giant Galkynysh gas field to participating countries by 2020. However, many believe the security situation in Afghanistan could yet derail the project.

Last week, Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported that the Tapi Pipeline Company (TPCL) is expected to achieve financial closure for the Tapi pipeline project by early next year.