ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Russia are set tomorrow, Friday, to formally sign an amended Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for a flagship pipeline due to be built by Russia and stretching 1,100 km (680 miles) from Pakistan’s Punjab province to the port city of Karachi.
The project, earlier called the North-South Pipeline but recently renamed the Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline Project, will deliver gas from Pakistan’s coastal regions to industrial areas in the north and will boost the country’s capacity to internally transport imported gas (LNG). It has been held up since 2015 due to a disagreement over fees and United States sanctions against Russian state conglomerate Rostec.
Last November, Russian officials visited Pakistan for three-day-long negotiations to finalize work on the project, the biggest infrastructure deal with Russia since the early 1970s when the Soviet Union set up the Pakistan Steel Mills industrial complex at Port Qasim, near Karachi. The project was also a main topic of discussion during Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov’s two-day trip to Islamabad last month.
“Soon after the formal signing [on Friday], the pipeline project will be renamed as Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline (PGSP),” Pakistan’s The News newspaper reported. “The cost of the project has been estimated at $2.25 billion by Pakistani officials, which is not yet finalized by the Russian side.”
Under the revised agreement, Pakistan will own 74 percent stakes in the pipeline and Russia 26 percent. Pakistan’s Ambassador to Russia, Shafqat Ali Khan, will sign the protocol on the amendments to the agreement on behalf of Pakistan in Moscow on Friday.
“Once the amended agreement is signed, both sides will have to sign within 60 days the shareholding agreement, heads of agreement under various commercial arrangements and a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) company will also be constituted that will materialize the project,” The News said.
Indigenous natural gas contributes around 38 percent to Pakistan’s total primary energy supply mix. Pakistan produces around 4 billion cubic feet per day against an unconstrained demand of 6 bcfd and imports gas to meet the deficit, particularly when demand peaks in winters.
Pakistan has become an emerging buyer in the international LNG market over the last few years, with an increasing gap between demand and supply of gas.
The power sector is Pakistan’s largest natural gas consumer, followed by residential consumption and the fertilizer industry.
Pakistan, Russia to formally sign amended agreement on flagship gas pipeline tomorrow
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Pakistan, Russia to formally sign amended agreement on flagship gas pipeline tomorrow
- Project will stretch 1,100 km from Pakistan’s Punjab province to Karachi, will increase country’s capacity to internally transport LNG
- Project held up since 2015 due to disagreement over fees and US sanctions against Russian state conglomerate Rostec
Pakistan spin out Australia in second T20I to take series
- Salman Agha’s 76 and Usman Khan’s 53 lift Pakistan to 198-5, their highest T20I total against Australia
- Pakistan’s spinners take all 10 wickets as Australia are bowled out for 108, sealing an unbeatable 2-0 series lead
LAHORE: Skipper Salman Agha hit his highest score in the shortest format before Pakistan’s spinners routed Australia by 90 runs in the second Twenty20 international in Lahore on Saturday.
Agha hit a 40-ball 76 and Usman Khan smashed a 36-ball 53 as Pakistan made 198-5, their highest-ever T20I total against Australia.
This was enough for Pakistan’s spin quintet who shared all ten wickets between them with Abrar Ahmed returning the best figures of 3-14 and Shadab Khan finishing with 3-26.
Australia were routed for 108 in 15.4 overs, giving Pakistan their biggest T20I victory over Australia eclipsing the 66-run win in Abu Dhabi in 2018.
“It has to be a perfect game,” said Agha. “We batted well and then were outstanding with the ball. Fielding was outstanding.”
The victory gives Pakistan an unbeatable 2-0 lead after they won the first match by 22 runs, also in Lahore, on Friday.
“We want to play in the same way, forget the 2-0 scoreline and come again with the same intensity and go to the World Cup with the same energy,” said Agha of the event starting in India and Sri Lanka from February 7.
This is Pakistan’s first T20I series win over Australia since 2018. The final match is on Sunday, also in Lahore.
Despite skipper Mitchell Marsh coming back after resting on Friday, the visiting batters had little answer to Pakistan’s spin assault.
Ahmed dismissed Marsh for 18, Josh Inglis for five and Matthew Short for 27.
Cameroon Green top scored with a 20-ball 35 before spinner Usman Tariq dismissed him on his way to figures of 2-16.
Marsh admitted Pakistan were better.
“Pakistan outplayed us,” said Marsh. “Hopefully, we can improve and come back tomorrow. They put us under great pressure in batting; it was probably a 160-170 wicket so they scored a big total.”
Earlier, Agha and Usman led Pakistan to a fighting total after they won the toss and batted.
Agha built the innings with Saim Ayub (11-ball 23) during a second wicket stand of 55 as Pakistan scored 72 runs in the power-paly.
Agha’s previous highest in all T20 cricket was 68 not out.
After Babar Azam failed with a five-ball two, Usman helped Agha add another quickfire 49 for the fourth wicket before Sean Abbott broke the stand.
Agha smashed four sixes and eight fours in his sixth Twenty20 half century.
Pakistan added a good 61 runs in the last five overs with Usman knocking two sixes and four fours in his second T20I half century while Shadab’s knock had two sixes and a four.
The Usman-Shadab fifth-wicket stand yielded 63 runs off just 39 balls.
Shadab finished with an unbeaten 20-ball 28.
Pacer Xavier Bartlett and spinner Matthew Kuhnemann were expensive, conceding 92 runs between them in their eight overs.
