Pakistan - Iran gas line gets attentions

Local media on Wednesday quoted Pakistan's High Commissioner to Britain, Maleeha Lodhi as saying that the proposed multi-billion dollar gas pipeline from Iran to India via Pakistan would promote peace in the region, besides economic benefits, IRNA reported.

The official Iranian news agency added "Iran gasline proposal surfaced in mid-90s, but no tangible progress could be made due to tensions between Pakistan and India on Kashmir issue. After a recent detente, prospects of laying the pipeline have brightened and both countries have hinted at its early construction."

IRNA added that as it would be facing shortage of gas in the next five years "Prime Minister of Pakistan Shaukat Aziz said last month that his country would take a final decision on the project by end of this year. Besides Iran option, Pakistan has two other proposals, i.e. Qatar pipeline and Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan pipeline."