Pakistan Should Prioritized Iran Gas Pipeline Over TAPI

Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline would be more cost effective for Pakistan than TAPI pipeline, said Pakistan's former Deputy Oil Minister Golfaraz Ahmed.

Speaking to Fars News Agency, Ahmed said Pakistan should not bow to the US pressures and never quit the IP Gas Pipeline project.

In the case of IP pipeline Iran has already construct the pipeline on its land and Pakistan only needs to construct the remaining 700-kilometer-long pipeline on its side and this is why this project should be prioritized, Ahmed stated.

Under an agreement between Tehran and Islamabad, Pakistan was to receive 750 million cubic feet of gas per day (mcfd) from January 1, 2015.

Later, the gas supply from Iran was to be increased to 1 billion cubic feet gas per day (bcfd).

If Pakistan fails to meet its obligation, then after the deadline, it will have to pay to Iran the huge penalty of almost $200 million a month.