IPI gas project can’t be kept in quandary: Asif
By Asim Hussain

ISLAMABAD—Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Khawaja Mohammad Asif said Pakistan is fully committed to provide transit facility to India for IPI project adding that there should be no further delay in the realization of the project which would help meet energy shortfall in both the countries
He was talking to the High commissioner of India Mr. Satyabrata Pal who called on Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Khawaja Mohammad Asif in his office in Islamabad on Wednesday and discussed matters of mutual interest.
Federal minister while highlighting the importance of $7 billion IPI gas project said that there should be no further delay in the realization of the project which would help meet energy shortfall in both the countries.
They discussed the upcoming visit of Indian petroleum minister to Pakistan on 21st of this month for steering committee meeting on TAPI and discussion on transit fee for IPI project.
Pakistan is fully committed to provide transit facility to India for IPI project, the minister said. Pakistan is interested in both IPI and TAPI Gas pipeline projects, the minister added High commissioner felicitated the minister for assuming his new assignment in the government.
Pak-Iran gas pipeline agreement is likely to be inked by April 25. Ministry of Petroleum sources told a private TV channel that Pakistan’s newly elected government has all the intention to complete this project soon in view of the increasing demand for gas and a draft has also been prepared in this regard.
Sources said that Iran and Pakistan has decided that if India didn’t want to immediately join in the agreement, then it could do so afterwards. Officials further said that Sui Southern and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Companies have agreed on a joint venture for the construction of the project and the government has been apprised of that the financial institutionswithin and outside the country are prepared for providing funds forconstruction of the pipelines.
India was optimist that it would be able to resolve technical and price differences with Pakistan to get trans-national Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) pipeline on track soon, Petroleum Minister Murli Deora said Monday.
Speaking after inaugurating Asia Gas Partnership Summit, Deora said he will visit Pakistan next week to discuss IPI pipeline. ``We have two-three small differences on transit fees. But I am very optimist we can sort out problems.’’
He said he would meet his Pakistani counterpart on April 23. ``I had been getting invitations from the minister on when I would go to Islamabad, but I could not go there while elections were there or after tragic events (Benazir Bhutto’s assassination),’’ he added. Before Deoro’s visit, a technical team will leave for Islamabad Tuesday to hold talks April 16-18. India asked transit fees be pegged at five percent of price of delivered gas, while Pakistan arguing to double that figure. The transportation tariff demanded by Pakistan is $1.57 per million British thermal unit of gas supply, while India is looking for much lower figure of about $0.69 to $0.70.