PAK –IRAN GAS PIPELINE IS NOT POSSIBLE
DUE TO US CURTAIL
The
works on a pipeline to import gas from Iran cannot proceed because of sanctions
imposed by the United States and the European Union on Tehran.
For
the Iran side billion dollars project is almost complete, but Pakistan has run
into repeated problems paying for the
780 kilometer section to be built on its side of the border.
Iran
has the second largest gas reserves in the world but has been strangled by a Western embargo that has
seen its crude exports halved in the past year. In this regards, the US had
earlier warned that the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline line project would risk
triggering sanctions aimed at Iran. This project is affected by the sanctions
imposed by the US.
Iran
is committed to this gas agreement but until Pakistan has not officially
relayed its stance we cannot react and make a decision.
The
long delayed pipeline that would link the two neighbours was planned to ease
Pakistan’s chronic gas shortages.
Iran
currently produces around 600 million cubic meters of gas per day almost all of
which is consumed domestically due to lack of exports. It is only foreign
client is Turkey, which buys about 30 million cubic meters of gas per day.
Pakistan
has severe gas crisis as natural as supply to homes and factories almost hit
the dead end in winters and the consumers have to rely on the Liquid Petrobium
Gas cylinders.
The
compress natural gas used as fuel in cars to improve environment and reduce
cost also shuts down for three days a week
during the tight supply months in the most populated areas of Pakistan.
Many
of Pakistanis drivers have converted their cards to run on CNG depending on it
as a cheaper alternative to petrol and diesel.
