IPI gas line project: Prime Minister directs body to sort out issues at the earliest

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has directed the Steering Committee on Iran Pakistan India (IPI) gas pipeline project to sort out the remaining issues at the earliest so that the work could be started on this important project to meet shortfall of gas in the country.
The Prime Minister gave these directions while presiding over the special meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources here at Parliament House on Thursday. However, there were indications that Iran wanted to increase price from $3.6 per MMBTU.
Gilani said that Pakistan was strongly committed to the project as a lot of work has already been done and therefore, all these efforts should not be allowed to go waste due to unnecessary delay in the implementation of the project.
The Prime Minister said the Standing Committee should resolve all issues particularly the pricing of the gas seeking consultations from various sources so that affordable prices should be fixed through negotiations with the Iranian Government.
The Prime Minister said that he himself and President Asif Ali Zardari had been raising the issue of IPI with the Iranian leadership at all the forums whenever there was a meeting with them. Besides giving due consideration to the IPI project, the Prime Minister emphasised the need to give maximum attention for indigenous exploration of gas fields to meet the increasing demand of energy.
He said that there should be a long term planning to meet the energy crisis unlike the country is facing water shortage due to lack of construction of new dams in the past.
Appreciating the efforts of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources regarding IPI project and settling four out of five remaining issues, the Prime Minister expressed the hope that the pricing issue would also be resolved amicably. The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Aslam Khan Raisani, Federal Ministers and members of the standing committee.
Earlier, Secretary Petroleum and Natural Resources briefed the meeting on the IPI project. He said the project was conceived and initiated by late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.