US refuses waiver over IP gas pipeline
The Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project has reportedly been delayed as the US has expressed concern about the project and refused to waive the sanctions imposed on Iran.
According to local sources, Pakistan has approached the US for a waiver to resume the Iran-Pak gas pipeline project, but the US refused to give any concession. Washington has also expressed its concern about this project, arynews.tv reported.
The project began in 2013, but several deadlines have already been missed, with Islamabad citing the threat of US economic sanctions.
There was a deadline of March this year to complete Pakistan’s part of the gas pipeline project, and if Pakistan does not start the project by March, it would have to pay a fine of $18 billion.
Sources claimed that after the United States’ refusal, Pakistan has made it clear to Iran that Pakistan wants to complete this project, but due to the sanctions, this project cannot be completed. Pakistan asked Iran to extend the March deadline in view of the current situation.
According to the agreement, Iran has prepared a 700-mile-long pipeline for its part, while in Pakistan, a 500-mile-long pipeline has been prepared and will go to Balochistan and Sindh.
Pakistan’s Energy Minister Muhammad Ali said work on 80 kilometers of the pipeline in the Pakistani territory would be carried out, adding that it would take around 1.5 years to complete the pipeline project in the Pakistani territory.