IPI gas pipeline project to be diverted to china

Islamabad: A feasibility study has established that Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project could be redesigned, after minor changes and very small extra expenditure, to divert gas pipeline to China.

Sources said that IFL, a reputed firm, conducted the feasibility study on Pakistan government's order to establish if it was possible or not to lay the pipeline to China, if India did not come up with a clear decision to join the proposed IPI gas lime project.

Sources in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources said that the consultant has submitted the feasibility , indicating that IPI gas line could be routed to China from northern parts of Pakistan. They said that after studying all aspects of the feasibility report the document has been sent to China for consideration and views.

If Pakistan gets a positive response on the feasibility then it will give a formal proposal to China to become a party to the project. Pakistan had offered China to become a party to the project when President Pervez Musharraf visited Beijing early this year.

Decision-makers in Islamabad believe that China can be the best alternative to India for the project. On offering the project by President Musharraf, China had immediately shown willingness to join it. However, before formally inviting China for joining the project, Pakistan decided to hire consultant for conducting the feasibility report to suggest the possible route for rerouting the project to China.

India had joined Pakistan for the project at a very early stage, which led to declare it as 'IPI' project some 14 years back. But developments, which took place in the region during the last five years, diluted India's interest in the project.

In particular, US-India agreement on civil nuclear energy transfer to help the latter meet energy demand gave a big shock to Pakistan. This development forced Pakistan to look for some other partner, as alternative to India, for the project. India has been giving mixed signals to Pakistan for staying in the project.

However, officials in Islamabad have developed a strong feeling that India's assurances to become party to the 'IPI' project were just waste of time and, instead of keeping on waiting for its final decision, Pakistan should join hands with China to make the project a reality.