20000411

Pakistan to discuss

with Iran modalities of

gas pipeline to India

ASHRAF KHAN

KARACHI: The Pakistan authorities will discuss the modalities of stretching the natural gas pipeline up to India, with an Iranian delegation due here shortly.

Possibilities of both the land and sea routes will be looked into for taking up feasibility study of what is now being described as "Peace pipeline" in diplomatic circles, informed sources on Monday said.

When the extension of pipeline up to India had come under discussion earlier, there had been some differences in Pakistani and Iranian officials over the terms of feasibility study, to be assigned by the Iranian government to a private consultant.

Sources said that Pakistan wants that the survey for both on-shore and off-shore routes be entrusted to the same consultants. Islamabad would also like to keep a close watch on the electronic equipment to be used during the survey, sources said. Besides, other precautionary measures would be undertaken, they said, that these activities did not jeopardize Pakistan's economic and environmental interests in the area.

Initially some security agencies had expressed concern over the project since they saw it as a security hazard for the country. Later on, they extended approval in view of greater economic yields for the country as compared to the security risks, sources said.

Pakistan, in principle, has agreed to allow any gas pipeline project up to India to facilitate the exporting countries, who, from the very beginning had their eyes on the larger gas market of India. Qatar, Oman, Turkmenistan, beside Iran had been keen to grab this opportunity of catering for gas needs of Pakistan and India.