BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 17
By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:
Pakistan is interested in accelerating the construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, as well as the construction of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan power transmission lines and fiber-optic communication lines, Trend reports with reference to Turkmenistan’s State News Agency.
This was stated by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Pakistan to Turkmenistan Irfan Ahmed during a meeting with the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
The president noted that the construction of the TAPI gas pipeline, which will provide long-term supplies of natural gas to the countries of Southeast Asia, will give an impetus to the economic development of the region, will contribute to solving social and humanitarian issues, and strengthen peace and stability.
A special emphasis was placed on trade and economic relations during the meeting. In particular, the president noted that the Intergovernmental Turkmen-Pakistani Commission should be more active.
Humanitarian ties have always been an important part of our bilateral relations, and various systemic contacts in the field of culture and art, joint cultural days, scientific and creative forums, etc. contribute to the strengthening of these ties.
Earlier, newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Pakistan to Turkmenistan Irfan Ahmed and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov discussed partnership in the energy sector and in the field of communications.
The parties stressed the importance of the implementation of the project of the transnational gas pipeline Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) and the construction of power transmission lines and fiber-optic communication along the route Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan.
As reported, Pakistan and Turkmenistan will continue to increase bilateral cooperation and interaction in various fields. Over the years of a long-term partnership, the countries have reached new frontiers in expanding cooperation.
Turkmenistan and Pakistan cooperate in a number of areas, in particular in the oil and gas sector. One of the main indicators of cooperation between the countries in the oil and gas sector is the construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline.
The Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India Pipeline (TAPI), also known as Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline, is a natural gas pipeline being developed by the Galkynysh – TAPI Pipeline Company Limited with the participation of the Asian Development Bank.
The pipeline will transport natural gas from the Galkynysh Gas Field in Turkmenistan through Afghanistan into Pakistan and then to India. Construction on the project started in Turkmenistan on December 13, 2015.
The length of the Turkmen section of the TAPI pipeline, the construction of which was launched in December 2015, will be 205 kilometers (the main operations are carried out on the 120th kilometer). The pipeline will pass through the Afghan cities of Herat and Kandahar (816 kilometers), through the cities of Quetta and Multan across Pakistani territory (819 kilometers), and reach the city of Fazilka in India.
The pipeline’s design capacity is planned to be 33 billion cubic meters of gas per year, and the project’s cost - about $8 billion.
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