ISLAMABAD: Sartaj Aziz, a veteran politician and Adviser to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs, has said that $10 billion Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) is an important gas pipeline project to meet energy needs of the region and a breakthrough will likely be happened on the project by the end this year.
He said this while talking to media after inaugurating an international conference on “Turkmenistan’s Policy of Permanent Neutrality. Sartaj said that an important meeting of all the stakeholders of TAPI project was held recently where most of the issues have been settled.
The Advisor said that due to law and order situation in Afghanistan, the project was delayed and added that now the Afghanistan government had ensured the safety and security of the project, therefore, it is hoped that the work on this important gas project will be started by end of this year.
However, he said that no timeline can be given as far as reconciliation and resolution of the conflict are considered.
Earlier, addressing the seminar Sartaj Aziz said connectivity of Central Asia with South Asia through rail and road will be game changer for the improvement of development in the region. He said Turkmenistan, having vast range of natural resources especially gas and electricity and while adopting its policy of “permanent neutrality” can play a key role in the development of the region.
Sartaj Aziz emphasised the need to explore new avenues for promoting people to people contacts between Pakistan and Turkmenistan especially with introduction of liberal visa regime, creating more opportunities for promoting trade and economic activities. He said promoting trade and economic activities will play an important role in strengthening people-to-people contact and enhancing peace, development and prosperity in the region.
