ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Turkmenistan agreed on Wednesday to fast-track a major pipeline project that will allow the Central Asian state to supply natural gas to Pakistan and India via Afghanistan, thereby enhancing economic activity across the region and benefiting all involved countries.
The understanding between the two states was reached during a meeting between Federal Minister for Petroleum Dr. Musadik Malik and Turkmenistan’s Foreign Affairs Rasit Meredow who arrived on a two-day visit to Islamabad on Tuesday.
The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline will originate from Galkynysh, the world’s second-biggest gas field, and end at the Indian city of Fazilka near the Pakistan border.
If the project is implemented, it will help Turkmenistan supply about 33 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas each year along a route covering a distance of over 1,800 kilometers.
According to an official statement released by the Ministry of Energy’s Petroleum Division, Pakistan and Turkmenistan are working to “expedite” the pipeline project.
“TAPI pipeline project will lower energy costs, which can boost industrial growth, create jobs and foster economic development,” it quoted Pakistan’s petroleum minister as saying during the meeting. “Reliable and affordable energy supplies are vital for industrial sectors and overall economic stability.”
“This project, aimed at fostering economic integration and energy security, has witnessed substantial progress through collaborative efforts,” he continued, stressing the importance of continued engagement between the two countries.
Malik added Pakistan was fully committed to the project which was vital for regional energy cooperation and infrastructure development.
The visiting dignitary expressed appreciation for the warm welcome extended to his delegation by the Pakistani authorities.
“Together we will chalk out a roadmap for cooperation between both countries,” he added.
The meeting was also attended by the CEO of TAPI Pipeline Company Limited.
Other participants of the meeting emphasized the project’s strategic importance in enhancing regional connectivity, promoting economic growth and meeting the energy demands of participating nations.
The TAPI project was envisaged in the early 1990s and officially agreed upon in December 2010.
It has primarily been delayed due to security concerns, geopolitical tensions, funding challenges and bureaucratic hurdles.
Pakistan and Turkmenistan agree to fast-track gas pipeline project involving Afghanistan and India
https://arab.news/v4py9
Pakistan and Turkmenistan agree to fast-track gas pipeline project involving Afghanistan and India
- TAPI pipeline project was envisaged in the early 1990s and officially agreed upon in December 2010
- It has been primarily delayed due to security concerns, funding challenges and bureaucratic hurdles
Pakistan expresses condolences as Bangladesh’s first female PM passes away
- Khaleda Zia passed away in Dhaka after prolonged illness at the age of 80, says her party
- PM Shehbaz Sharif describes Zia as a “committed friend of Pakistan” in condolence message
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday expressed condolences over the passing of Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, Khaleda Zia, describing her as a committed friend of Islamabad.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) announced its leader Zia had passed away at the age of 80 after prolonged illness. She died at the Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, where the former prime minister was admitted on Nov. 23 with symptoms of a lung infection, according to The Daily Star, a Bangladesh news website.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of Begum Khaleda Zia, Chairperson of the BNP and former Prime Minister of Bangladesh,” Sharif wrote on social media platform X.
“Her lifelong service to Bangladesh and its growth and development leaves a lasting legacy.”
Sharif said his government and people stand with the people of Bangladesh during this difficult time.
“Begum Zia was a committed friend of Pakistan,” he added.
Pakistan and Bangladesh used to be part of the same country before the latter seceded into the separate nation of Bangladesh after a bloody civil war in 1971.
Ties between the two countries have remained mostly strained since then. However, Islamabad enjoyed better relations with Dhaka under Zia’s government compared to when Bangladesh was led by her arch-rival, Sheikh Hasina.
Hasina was ousted after a violent uprising last year, leading to improved relations between Islamabad and Dhaka.
Despite years of ill health and imprisonment, Zia vowed in November to campaign in elections set for February 2026.
The BNP is widely seen as a frontrunner, and Zia’s son Tarique Rahman, who returned only on Thursday after 17 years in exile, is seen as a potential prime minister if they win a majority.
-With additional input from AFP
