US asks Pak to pull out of Iran gas pipeline project to qualify for extensive assistance

Islamabad, Jan.14 (ANI): The United States has asked Pakistan to dump its plan of receiving natural gas from Iran through a pipeline.

According to sources, US Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke, during his meeting with Petroleum Minister Syed Naveed Qamar, said Islamabad would have to abandon its pipeline accord with Tehran in order to qualify for extensive American energy assistance especially for importing Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and electricity.

Insiders said that in case Pakistan cancels its plan of importing gas from Iran through pipeline, the US would help Islamabad import electricity from Tajikistan through Afghanistan's Wakhan corridor.

It is pertinent to mention here that India has already walked out of the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline.

Pakistan had proposed to China to join the 7.4-billion-dollar IPI pipeline after India pulled out of the project.

The Chinese government had submitted a preliminary report to the Pakistan government seeking more information on the pipeline project. (ANI)