Pak, Tunisia exchange views on energy co-op
By Ali Imran

ISLAMABAD—Tunisian Minister for Industries, Energy Small and Medium enterprises Afif Chelbi who is currently visiting Pakistan to attend Pak-Tunis Joint Ministerial Commission Meeting called on Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Amanullah Khan Jadoon here on Tuesday and exchanged view on possibility of energy cooperation between the two countries.
Jadoon, while welcoming the Tunisian minister, said that there exists a lot of potential for cooperation in the energy sector between the two countries. He said that Pakistan has specific expertise in pipeline construction and transmission having largest distribution and transmission network of 70,000 and 9,000 kilometers respectively and over 1300 CNG station were operating in the country.
The Minister said that Pakistan can cooperate with Tunisia in pipeline construction and promotion of CNG industry. He said that the government was focusing on the development of energy sector on modern lines and taking steps to exploit the untapped hydrocarbon and coal deposits with a view to increase its share in the energy sector.
He said that the government was also working on the import of gas from Iran and Turkmenistan and LPG from the neighboring countries to meet the growing energy need of the country. He said that exchange of experts’ level delegations would help identify the areas of cooperation in the energy sector between the two countries.
The Tunisian Minister said that JMC meeting held in Islamabad helped identify areas of cooperation in diversified fields between the two countries as well as enhancing the level of economic and trade relations. He said that Tunisia would take advantage of Pakistan expertise in the development of energy sector.
Secretary Petroleum Farrukh Qayyum and other senior officials of the Ministry were also present during the meeting.