Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) endorsed the Government's stance that Pakistan would not yield to US pressure and it would make the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline. President of Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mian Anis A Sheikh said that Pakistan is currently facing mounting pressure from the US to shelve the pipeline project, while both countries have already signed a sovereign-guarantee agreement on the project.
Mian Anis A Sheikh hailed the statement of Prim Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani that it was "extremely important" for the stability of the region that all the neighbouring countries are in a good relationship with each other.
"We want to have good relations with all our neighbours, be it China, Afghanistan, Iran or India," MCCI Chief lauded the decision of government for speeding up pace of work on the Pak-Iran gas pipeline project.
He said: "The completion of this project would greatly help in overcoming country's power problems and improving energy supply, especially to manufacturing and industrial sectors."
He said gas suspension particularly to textile industry has immensely damaged the productivity of this sector while all other sectors of the economy including agriculture, large scale industries, SMEs and international trade have suffered due to power shortage. He hoped gas supply from Iran would mitigate energy woes of business and industry people. He said both the countries have huge trade and investment potential as well as capacity to launch joint ventures in the areas of common interest.