Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Pakistan: No US formal offer received on meeting Pak energy needs

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Oct 2, IRNA
Paistan-US-Energy
The US has not notified of any offer formally made to Pakistan on meeting its energy needs if it stays away from the trilateral gas pipeline project with Iran.

The remark was that of the acting spokeswoman of Pakistan's Foreign Office, Tasneem Aslam, when contacted by a local news agency, Online, to seek her comment on a US official's statement about its offer to Pakistan to help meet its energy requirements in return for doing away with the gas pipeline project with Iran.

Only a statement in the media has come, she said, adding that the US had not given the foreign office any formal information in writing in this connection.

"When the US will inform us about its opinion and plan through diplomatic channels then we will give our reply.

"However we can offer no comment on a sheer newspaper statement," she said.

The spokeswoman said Pakistan needed energy sources in the wake of its growing economic activities.

We are engaged in talks with different countries in this respect, she pointed out.

"We will acquire gas from multiple sources and the Iranian gas pipeline project is also part of it," she added. "We are moving forward on it," she indicated.

"We want India to join this project as it will benefit us. The talks are underway with other countries to import gas," she further said.

The said report appeared in a section of the Pakistani press quoting a US official as alleging that if Pakistan parted ways from the Iran gas pipeline project the US would meet all its energy needs.

Implementation of the US$4 billion gas pipeline project with a length of 2800 kilometers (1750 miles) between Iran, Pakistan and India was to begin next year as agreed upon by the parties.

The project was to be completed by 2010.

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