Pakistani Media Widely Cover Inauguration Of IP Project

Islamabad, March 12, IRNA – Pakistani media on Monday gave wide coverage in update stories to the ground breaking ceremony of multibillion dollar Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project. Pakistan state television reported that President Asif Ali Zardari and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attended the ceremony on the Iran Pakistan border today. It said Iranian oil Minister Rostam Qasemi and Iran’s Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mehdi Ghazanfari also attended the ceremony, which marks the start of the construction of the pipeline, intended to transfer natural gas from Iran to Pakistan. “The United Arab Emirates Energy Minister Mohammad bin Dhaˈen Al Hameli also attended the ceremony,” it said. ‘Radio Pakistan’ reported that President Asif Ali Zardari formally inaugurated the Pak-Iran Gas Pipeline Project along with his Iranian counterpart Ahmadinejad. They unveiled the plaque and offered prayers on the occasion. Earlier‚ President Asif Ali Zardari was welcomed by the Iranian President when he arrived in Iran. ‘Dawn’ reported that Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinijad on Monday officially inaugurated construction work of a delayed $7.5 billion gas pipeline from Iran to Pakistan. The ceremony, which the president’s office described as a ‘big event’, was held in the Iranian border city of Chabahar. Both presidents were accompanied at the ground-breaking by delegations comprising ministers, top officials as well as representatives of several Arab states. ‘The News’ reported that President Asif Ali Zardari and his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated the Pak-Iran pipeline project on Monday. A consortium will start work on $7.5 billion gas pipeline from Pakistan to Iran. ‘Express Tribune’ said that President Asif Ali Zardari along with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated the multi-billion dollar Pak-Iran gas pipeline in Chahbahar on Monday. The contentious gas pipeline was inaugurated by Zardari as he pulled the rope to reveal the foundation-laying plaque on the Pak-Iran border for the 1,600 kilometer long pipeline. ‘The Nation’ website reported that President Asif Ali Zardari and President Mahmood Ahmadinejad jointly inaugurated on Monday multi-billion dollar Pak-Iran Gas Pipeline Project at border town of Gabad. Pakistan will start receiving gas after completion of the project in December 2014. Iran will supply 750 million cubic feet gas to Pakistan. ‘Dunya TV’ reported that the groundbreaking ceremony of Pak-Iran gas pipeline project is being held on Monday, despite the US warnings of possible sanctions. Both the presidents also signed an accord for 400,000-barrel capacity oil refinery in Gwadar. ‘Geo TV’ channel said that President Asif Ali Zardari and his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated the Pak-Iran pipeline project here on Monday. The ceremony marked the start of work by an Iranian-Pakistani consortium on the 781-kilometre pipeline earmarked for the Pakistani side of the border (till Nawabshah), which is said to cost $1.5 billion. The pipeline on the Iranian side has almost been completed. ˈSamaa TVˈ reported President Asif Ali Zardari and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad jointly inaugurated on Monday multi-billion dollar Pak-Iran Gas Pipeline Project at border town of Gabad, The project was formally inaugurated at a ceremony which marks the start of work on the 781-kilometre pipeline earmarked for the Pakistani side of the border, with the cost of $1.5 billion. The pipeline on the Iranian side is almost complete. ‘CNBC TV’ channel said President Zardari and his Iranian counterpart Ahmadinejad inaugurated Pak-Iran gas pipeline project here on Monday. The pipeline on the Iranian side has almost been completed. Pakistan would start receiving gas after completion of the project in December 2014. ’Frontier Post’ said that President Asif Ali Zardari and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad jointly inaugurated on Monday multi-billion dollar Pak-Iran Gas Pipeline Project at border town of Gabad, ‘Saach TV’ reported that President Asif Ali Zardari along with his Iranian counterpart has inaugurated the Pak-Iran gas pipe line project in Gabad City of Iran. Pak-Iran gas pipe line project is named as “Peace Pipeline”. An article published in ‘The Nation’ termed as historic the groundbreaking of the IP gas pipeline. It said the IP gas pipeline project was initially proposed in 1955. Under the Engineering, Procurement and Commissioning (EPC) agreement signed between Pakistan’s Inter State Gas System (ISGS) and Iranian Tadbir Energy, the laying of 781-km-long IP gas pipeline falling into Pakistan’s side will be completed within the next 15 months. The Pakistan portion of the pipeline will be constructed at a cost of $1.5 billion. Iran will provide $500 million loan to partially finance the construction, while Pakistan will pay the remaining cost. The state-owned SSGCL and SNGPL would initiate mechanical works while the FWO, a subsidiary of the armed forces, would carry out civil work of the project by laying the pipeline from Gabd to Nawabshah in Pakistan./end