IPI gas pipeline meeting in Tehran by Jul-end

Islamabad, Jul 16: Iran, Pakistan and India are expected to have a tripartite meeting in Tehran on the 7.4 billion dollars Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project.

According to a senior Pakistan Petroleum Ministry official, Iran has invited Pakistan to attend the meting. It is expected that the meeting would be held in the last week of July. The senior official added that date would be fixed after a Steering Committee meeting on July 17. According to the official, Finance Secretary Farrukh Qayyum, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Abdullah Yousuf and Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Salman Farooqui will attend the meeting. Formed by Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet, the Committee had earlier approved the draft of Gas Sales Purchase Agreement (GSPA) on IPI, the Daily Times reported.

The Committee will review the draft of the GSPA on IPI and the financial impact of the gas pipeline on the economy of the country. The project is expected to benefit the Pakistan economy by two billion dollars.

The Committee will also review the gas transit fee issue with India.

The official said that Pakistan and India would come face to face over the gas transit fee issue in Tehran. India had earlier stayed away from gas pipeline talks citing security concerns and the unstable political situation in Pakistan.

ANI