ISLAMABAD/ASHGABAT December 13: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif along with other regional leaders performed the ground-breaking ceremony of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project in Turkmenistan on Sunday.The prime minister was joined by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimohamedow and Indian Vice President Muhammad Hamid Ansari for the groundbreaking ceremony. The ground-breaking ceremony took place near the city of Mary in the southeastern part of the central Asian country, close to the giant Galkynysh gas field which is meant to provide gas for the 1,814-kilometre (1,127-mile) link.”By December 2019, the pipeline will be completed. It will have a capacity of 33 billion cubic metres,” Turkmen President Kurbanguly Berdymu-khamedov said at the ceremony.
The trans-regional energy project, which will bring gas from energy-rich Turkmenistan, is being dubbed as a major initiative for bringing peace and enhancing connectivity in the region. The $10 billion TAPI gas pipeline project is expected to be completed by 2018.PM Nawaz, speaking on the occasion said the “vital achievement was made possible through perseverance through the patience and collective endeavours of all stakeholders”, and lauded the “personal involvement and keen interest” of the Turkmen president.
“Tapi is not just a gas transit initiative connecting energy-rich Central Asia with energy-starved South Asia, but a trailblazing project that will open doors for greater regional economic collaboration and integration,” the premier said.
“It holds a significant place in Pakistan’s energy outlook,” he said, adding that the project serves as a vital component of his government’s new national energy policy and the plans for mitigating the country’s energy deficiency.
He touched upon other major infrastructural projects under way in the country ? Casa-1000 and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) ? and encouraged other regional players to “take advantage of this transformational project (CPEC)”. “It will provide the shortest route for access to our sea ports through Central Asian republic and other states in the region,” he said. With the completion of this project Pakistan will get 1325MMCFD supply of natural gas as one of the main components of the mega-project linking Central Asian States with South Asian countries. The mega-project will also help Pakistan in overcoming its energy deficits. Earlier, the four leaders held a meeting to discuss the multibillion-dollar project, where they emphasized the need for enhanced connectivity for peace and stability in the region. Prime Minister Sharif is in Turkmenistan on a two-day official visit where he also attended International Conference being held in Ashgabat to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s Permanent Neutrality. In his address on Saturday, the prime minister emphatically stated that Pakistan attaches great importance to the TAPI project. Pakistan is pursuing a policy of strong cooperation with regional countries, especially with next door neighbours, for prosperity and enhanced connectivity, he said. The $10 billion TAPI project is designed to reduce Turkmenistan’s dependence on gas sales to Russia and China.-Agencies
