ID :
153133
Sun, 12/12/2010 - 15:38
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/153133
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TAP project not possible: Pakistani analyst
Islamabad, Dec 12, IRNA – A renowned Pakistani journalist Rahimullah Yusufzai on Saturday said that instability in Afghanistan is a major hurdle in the implementation of Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline (TAP) or Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) project.
Speaking to IRNA, the journalist said that in current circumstances the TAPI project is difficult to be completed.
“The work on the project should have been started if the project were feasible”, he maintained.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, who is in Turkmenistan for the signing of an agreement to provide a regular supply of natural gas from the Turkmen gas fields to the industries in Pakistan, has termed the multi-billion dollar project as a win-win situation for the people of the entire region saying it would usher in an era of prosperity.
Pakistan needs gas for its endurance as its economy is under inevitable strain owing to energy crises.
Turkmenistan has the world’s fourth largest proven reserves of gas and would pump in around 33 billion cubic meters of gas per annum, through the 1,640 kilometer long gas pipeline including 735 km across Afghanistan and another 800 km through Pakistan, before culminating in India.
Pakistan has already finalized the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project and hopefully Pakistan will start receiving Iranian gas by 2014.
Natural gas reserves in Iran are about 15.8% of world's total reserves and stand for world's second largest reserves after Russia.
Expressing his views Rahimullah Yusufzai said that till now only paper work of the TAPI project is being done. “In the long run, Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline project is beneficial for Pakistan but in my personal opinion Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline is a more feasible project”, he believed.
“We have to wait and see when the TAPI gas pipeline would be laid, it is very difficult to give any time frame for the completion of the project”, he added.
The journalist viewed that in the present situation of Afghanistan, it is almost impossible to lay a gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Pakistan.
Rahimullah Yusufzai said the U.S. opposition to Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline is the only reason for the delay in the project.
Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline (TAP) project was conceived way back in 1995 but no progress could be made towards its implementation mainly because of volatile regional security situation and lack of required commitment by the parties.
Rahimullah Yusufzai is the Resident/Executive Editor of the Jang group's “The NEWS international' at Peshawar Bureau. He is one of the few bonafide experts on Afghanistan, having reported on the country since the 1980s./end
Speaking to IRNA, the journalist said that in current circumstances the TAPI project is difficult to be completed.
“The work on the project should have been started if the project were feasible”, he maintained.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, who is in Turkmenistan for the signing of an agreement to provide a regular supply of natural gas from the Turkmen gas fields to the industries in Pakistan, has termed the multi-billion dollar project as a win-win situation for the people of the entire region saying it would usher in an era of prosperity.
Pakistan needs gas for its endurance as its economy is under inevitable strain owing to energy crises.
Turkmenistan has the world’s fourth largest proven reserves of gas and would pump in around 33 billion cubic meters of gas per annum, through the 1,640 kilometer long gas pipeline including 735 km across Afghanistan and another 800 km through Pakistan, before culminating in India.
Pakistan has already finalized the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project and hopefully Pakistan will start receiving Iranian gas by 2014.
Natural gas reserves in Iran are about 15.8% of world's total reserves and stand for world's second largest reserves after Russia.
Expressing his views Rahimullah Yusufzai said that till now only paper work of the TAPI project is being done. “In the long run, Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline project is beneficial for Pakistan but in my personal opinion Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline is a more feasible project”, he believed.
“We have to wait and see when the TAPI gas pipeline would be laid, it is very difficult to give any time frame for the completion of the project”, he added.
The journalist viewed that in the present situation of Afghanistan, it is almost impossible to lay a gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Pakistan.
Rahimullah Yusufzai said the U.S. opposition to Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline is the only reason for the delay in the project.
Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline (TAP) project was conceived way back in 1995 but no progress could be made towards its implementation mainly because of volatile regional security situation and lack of required commitment by the parties.
Rahimullah Yusufzai is the Resident/Executive Editor of the Jang group's “The NEWS international' at Peshawar Bureau. He is one of the few bonafide experts on Afghanistan, having reported on the country since the 1980s./end
