IP project: US throw spanners in the work

by Tauqeer Abbas
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SHAFAQNA PAKISTAN (Shia News Agency)-

The United States has welcomed the proposed multi-billion dollar Chinese investment in Pakistan’s energy sector but asked the government to put on hold the gas pipeline project until sanctions against Iran are lifted after it reaches a final agreement with global powers on nuclear issue. As long as an agreement is not reached, sanctions are in place against Iran and, therefore, Pakistan should hold off any project like IP till removal of sanctions.

Now at a point when Pakistan is facing worst power crunch, such sanctions would add further misery to the ongoing situation. When IP was signed there were certain doubts by the policy makers and analysts that Pakistan under the Nawaz regime could back track from this agreement because of US and Saudi pressure. However after US-Iran deal, hopes rekindled to the completion of this agreement because of strenuous ties between Saudia and Pakistan on Yemen development however once again US has thrown spanners in the work. It shows double standard of the US that after nuclear deal has been decided there is no apparent reason to stop Pakistan to fulfill this deal.

Energy demand in Pakistan is expected to double by 2020 and the country should institute reforms to create support from the private sector and also from other countries and institutions and IP gas pipeline is considered as the oxygen for the dying industry of Pakistan.

pakistan.shafaqna.com