KARACHI: President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF), President All Karachi Industrial Alliance (AKIA), Senior Vice Chairman of the Businessmen Panel of FPCCI and former provincial minister, Mian Zahid Hussain on Wednesday said that early completion of TAPI gas pipeline project will benefit the entire region particularly the participating countries including Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. 3.3 billion cubic feet gas will be transmitted through 1814 KM long pipeline from Turkmenistan to India via Afghanistan and Pakistan to curb gas demand of these countries. Employment, industry and economy will flourish through this extremely beneficial project in addition to regional prosperity and peace.
The Veteran Business Leader while talking to the business community said that signing of hosting agreement between Pakistan and Turkmenistan is valuable step towards completion of this long awaited project which is comprised of two phases of $ 6 billion and $ 2 billion respectively. Initial completion estimation for the project was 2020, but due to war in Afghanistan, the project has been delayed. Security of the pipeline is still a big challenge in the wars affected country for which fool proof security measures are vital and should be planned collectively by the participating countries. Civil work has been started last year in Afghanistan and ground breaking of the project is expected this year in Pakistan as quoted by the Petroleum minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan.