Tehran Times reported that construction work on the Pakistan segment of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project is likely to start by February 2013,and the first gas flow is scheduled to begin by the end of December 2014.
According to the report,the Pakistani minister for petroleum and natural resources,in a written reply to a question raised by MNA Shagufta Sadiq,told the Lower House that Iran has already completed a 900-kilometer segment of the 1150 kilometer section on its side and the construction work on the remaining 250 kilometers is in progress.
He said that the Pakistan section of the pipeline was to be laid from the Iran-Pakistan border up to Pakistan's off take point at Nawabshah,covering a distance of over 781 kilometers.
Mr Qamar Zaman Kaira Pakistani Federal Minister said that Pakistan is committed to completing the project and signed an agreement to do so despite all the international pressure.
Mr Kaira said that"We are also approaching India for gas.In this regard,negotiations are underway."
A proposal to import 200 million cubic feed per day Re-gasified Liquefied Natural Gas from India is also under consideration.He added that since no agreement had so far been executed,the implementation time cannot be ascertained at this stage.
He said that progress on the Pakistan-Iran Gas Pipeline Project was continuing on schedule.He also noted that there is an energy crisis in Pakistan,and the government has reviewed the drilling policy for gas.
