No Pak proposal for extending pipeline to China

New Delhi, Aug 10: The Government has not received any formal proposal from Pakistan for extending the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline to China, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

In a written reply, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dinsha Patel said the matter has not been discussed with Pakistan in any of the meetings relating to the project.

Though in the second tripartite secretary-level Joint Working Group meeting in Islamabad on May 22 and 23 this year, Pakistan Petroleum and Natural Resources Secretary, in his opening remarks had, interalia, stated that the tri-nation gas pipeline project was important for all the three countries, as it would open a huge market for Iranian gas towards the east including China and it would play very important role in the economic development of Pakistan and India in addition to fulfilling their energy requirment, he said.

UNI