STAFF REPORT IBD: President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari and his Iranian counterpart Dr Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have recently performed the groundbreaking of the long-awaited $7.5 billion gas pipeline project, laying the foundation of bilateral energy cooperation and defying western opposition.
President Zardari and Ahmadinejad unveiled the plaque of the project at a ceremony in the Iranian city of Chabahar, near the Pakistan border.
The project will deliver 750 million cubic feet of gas per day to Pakistan starting from January 2015. The Iran-Pakistan gas pipelifeline will help eradicate terrorism, bring prosperity to the region and overcome poverty as it will create job opportunities for the local skilled manpower. Zardari described the event as a historic moment not only for the two countries but also for the region.
It is to be mentioned that Pakistan has decided to go ahead with this project rejecting the regular pressure being raised by the United States besides hurling cautions of more sanctions on Iran.