Pak-Iran gas pipeline project can’t be completed, NA told

March 29:

Minister says unless sanctions are lifted, Pakistan cannot get gas from Iran even if the project is completed

ISLAMABAD: Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has told the National Assembly that the Pak-Iran gas pipeline project cannot be completed due to international sanctions on Iran.

He said this while replying to a question from MNA Shazia Marri during the Question-Hour here on Friday. No further implementation of the Pak-Iran gas pipeline project is in progress as international sanctions stand slapped on Iran, said the minister.

He said even if the project was accomplished, Pakistan could not acquire gas till the sanctions were scaled back. The previous government had also not implemented this project, he said. He told the House that work on the LNG terminal had started. The terminal will become functional by November 25 this year. No talks have been held with Qatar on the pricing formula so far, he added.

To another question, he said the price of petroleum products will be worked out for importing the LNG. Replying to a question from Naeema Kishwar Khan, Parliamentary Secretary Raja Javed Ikhlas told the House that selling of arms to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) was not under consideration. No license for establishment of any ordnance factory in the KPK had been issued to anyone except Wah Factory.

Parliamentary Secretary Shahzadi Omarzadi told the House that she expected the import of LNG would start by the end of this year. Talks are continuing with Qatar for importing LNG, she added.

Parliamentary Secretary Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal told the House that the Supreme Court had given five months for conducting the Local Bodies (LB) polls and these elections will be held within this stipulated period.

State Minister Sheikh Aftab Ahmad said the SC had ordered during the previous general elections that the right to vote be given to overseas Pakistanis. He added that a bill in this regard was under debate in the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice and further progress will be made in line with the committee’s report. The Election Commission of Pakistan and Pakistani embassies functioning in other countries have also been informed in this regard, he said. The government wants that the overseas Pakistanis are given the right to vote in 2018, he added.

Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-29366-Pak-Iran-gas-pipeline-project-cant-be-completed-NA-told?