(March 13, 2019)
President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF), President All Karachi Industrial Alliance (AKIA), Senior Vice Chairman of the Businessmen Panel of FPCCI and former provincial minister, Mian Zahid Hussain on Wednesday said that early completion of TAPI gas pipeline project will benefit the entire region particularly the participating countries including Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. 3.3 billion cubic feet gas will be transmitted through 1814 KM long pipeline from Turkmenistan to India via Afghanistan and Pakistan to curb gas demand of these countries. Employment, industry and economy will flourish through this extremely beneficial project in addition to regional prosperity and peace.
The Veteran Business Leader while talking to the business community said that signing of hosting agreement between Pakistan and Turkmenistan is valuable step towards completion of this long awaited project which is comprised of two phases of $ 6 billion and $ 2 billion respectively. Initial completion estimation for the project was 2020, but due to war in Afghanistan, the project has been delayed. Security of the pipeline is still a big challenge in the wars affected country for which fool proof security measures are vital and should be planned collectively by the participating countries. Civil work has been started last year in Afghanistan and ground breaking of the project is expected this year in Pakistan as quoted by the Petroleum minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan.
The Former Minister said that ministers from Turkmenistan met the energy minister Omer Ayub and decision of forming working group on transmission of 1000 MW electricity has taken which will create new investment opportunities and strengthen the bilateral trade between two countries. The inter connectivity of the grids in the region and completion of CPEC projects will attract more investors to the region which will help in economic stability of this region.
Mian Zahid Hussain said that during the ministerial level meetings of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan training facility for banking sector has been extended to Turkmenistan. Both countries agreed to form collective strategy to fight money laundering which is an example of brotherly relations between both countries.
