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Pakistan has discarded any opposition to the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project from western capitals and insisted on following the Peace Pipeline schedule.
Iran and Pakistan agreed in principle to complete a long awaited multi-billion-dollar gas pipeline project by 2013.
The agreement was reached in an operational-level meeting between the two sides on August 31.
Mahmood Salim Mahmood, Secretary of Pakistan's Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources told reporters the two countries would initiate the project as it was scheduled.
“The deal will be launched according to its timetable,” he said. “It does not allow the Pakistani government to sell imported gas from Iran to a third party.”
"Pakistan plans to generate 4,600 megawatts of electricity with Iranian natural gas," he added.
While Pakistan has been facing an electricity shortfall of more than 3,000 megawatts leading to frequent and lengthy blackouts in the country, it has been under pressure from Washington to abandon the deal.
The 2,600-kilometer (1,615-mile) gas pipeline was originally proposed to transfer Iran's gas to the Indian subcontinent.
Although currently Pakistan and Iran are the sole signatories to the gas deal, Islamabad says that India can join the project later on
Iran and Pakistan agreed in principle to complete a long awaited multi-billion-dollar gas pipeline project by 2013.
The agreement was reached in an operational-level meeting between the two sides on August 31.
Mahmood Salim Mahmood, Secretary of Pakistan's Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources told reporters the two countries would initiate the project as it was scheduled.
“The deal will be launched according to its timetable,” he said. “It does not allow the Pakistani government to sell imported gas from Iran to a third party.”
"Pakistan plans to generate 4,600 megawatts of electricity with Iranian natural gas," he added.
While Pakistan has been facing an electricity shortfall of more than 3,000 megawatts leading to frequent and lengthy blackouts in the country, it has been under pressure from Washington to abandon the deal.
The 2,600-kilometer (1,615-mile) gas pipeline was originally proposed to transfer Iran's gas to the Indian subcontinent.
Although currently Pakistan and Iran are the sole signatories to the gas deal, Islamabad says that India can join the project later on
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