Pakistan can be a gateway for quick access to Turkmenistan’s rich energy reserves: PM Shehbaz

ISLAMABAD, June 08 (SABAH): A high ranking Turkmenistan delegation headed by Maksat Babayev, State Minister and Head of TurkmenGaz called on Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Thursday.

Welcoming the delegation, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan and Turkmenistan enjoy brotherly relations underpinned by common history, culture and religion. The Prime Minister said leadership on both sides has keen desire to further promote economic and commercial relations. He underscored that Pakistan can be a gateway for quick access to Turkmenistan’s rich energy reserves.

Referring to the strategic TAPI Gas Pipeline Project, the Prime Minister said this project is manifestation of Pakistan-Turkmenistan strategic cooperation in the energy sector. He highlighted that TAPI is a critical component of our governments’ vision for ensuring Pakistan’s energy security that will bring economic growth and prosperity not only in Pakistan but in the entire region. He renewed the commitment for early implementation of the project and hoped that the project shall be completed at the earliest by optimizing all available resources by all concerned parties.

In order to expedite the work on various components of the project, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif nominated Special Assistant to Prime Minister Dr. Jehanzeb Khan to work as focal person from the Pakistan side as the head of the Senior Coordination Committee.

The visiting Turkmenistan delegation also included Deputy Minister of Energy Annageldi Saparov, CEO and Chairman of BOD, TPCL, Muhammetmyrat Amanov as well as the Turkmen Ambassador to Pakistan, Atadjan Movlamov.

Later, the Prime Minister witnessed the signing of “TAPI Gas Pipeline Joint Implementation Plan (JIP)” signed by Minister of State for Petroleum Dr. Musaddiq Malik and Maksat Babayev, State Minister and Head of TurkmenGaz on behalf their respective governments.

The JIP is aimed at accelerating the work on the TAPI Gas Pipeline project. The TAPI pipeline project aims to transport natural gas from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India through an 1814 Kilometer pipeline with a capacity to transport 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually. Once operational, the TAPI project will transform the regional energy landscape, contributing to economic prosperity.