Iran - Pakistan gas pipeline decision in two months

Pakistan will take a final decision about the multi-billion Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project in two months, a Pakistani Minister said on Thursday, IRNA reported.

"There is a progress on the project and a financial advisor for the project will be appointed in a week," Minister of State for Petroleum, Muhammad Naseer Mengal, told reporters here.

Mengal said that the Secretary Petroleum has recently visited India to discuss various issues relating to the project adding that meetings of joint working group have also been held.

"Pakistan has assured Indian government that Pakistan will provide protection to the pipeline in its territory," he said.

Mengal added that Pakistan is also working on TAP (Turkmenistan- Afghanistan-Pakistan) and Qatar-Pakistan gas pipelines. "We will take a decision on these gaslines in the best interest of the country," the official added.

Replying to a query about gas shortage, he said there is not any shortage of gas to domestic consumers in the country. "In the peak of winter season, we switched off supply to industrial consumers to compensate the domestic consumers every year," Mengal noted.