TAPI gas pipeline project: Pakistan, Turkmenistan sign implementation plan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Turkmenistan signed a joint implementation plan in Islamabad on Thursday to execute Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project.

The ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a Turkmenistan delegation led by Minister of Energy and Water Resources Daler Juma’a.

State Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik and Turkmenistan’s State Minister and Chairman of TurkmenGas, Maskat Babayev inked the accord.

Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed confidence that the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) gas pipeline project would usher in an era of regional cooperation, development and prosperity.

Addressing here at the signing ceremony of TAPI Joint Implementation Plan, the prime minister said the project was of utmost importance for the development of the four countries and the region.

Sharif said the project would help the region to secure natural gas to concrete assurances and mutually agreed terms and conditions.

Mr. Maksat Babayev, State Minister of Turkmenistan and Head of TurkmenGaz and Minister of State for Petroleum of Pakistan Dr. Musaddiq Malik signing TAPI Joint Implementation Plan meanwhile Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif witnesses the signing. Islamabad, 8th of June,… pic.twitter.com/ErrsGohGUQ

— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) June 8, 2023

“For a developing country like Pakistan, there is a need for speedy actions to explore the options for energy,” he said.

The prime minister Shehbaz Sharif directed his team to do everything to pace up the planning and execution of the TAPI project. He said that Pakistan and Turkmenistan were ready to expand relations in diverse areas and boost their cooperation.

TAPI project

Under the project, a 56-inch diameter 1,680 kilometers pipeline, having the capacity to flow 3.2 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) gas, would be laid from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan and Pakistan up to the Pak-India border.

As per the TAPI agreement, Pakistan and India will be provided 1.325 bcfd (billion cubic feet per day) gas each and Afghanistan will be getting the share of 0.5 bcfd gas.