By NNN-APP
Islamabad : A senior official of the Ministry of Petroleum on Wednesday brushed aside speculation about delay by Pakistan and Iran in signing a Gas Sales Purchase Agreement (GSPA) on Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project.
“The agreement can be signed any time during next few days,” the official said while talking to APP.
He said that the Iranian state-run gas company was currently busy in restoring supply of gas suspended owing to heavy snowfall in that country. “Therefore, the company could not arrange a meeting of its Board for the approval of the Gas Sales Purchase Agreement”, he added.
He said that Iranian gas company was still busy in managing the gas supply and hoped the two countries would be able to sign the agreement after improvement in the situation.
Responding to a question, he dispelled the impression that there was a delay following Indian refusal to join the project.
“If India decides to join the project, even in that case, separate agreements will be made,” he added.
The official said that three bilateral agreements would be signed on the project. One would be between Pakistan and Iran on GSPA, second between Iran and India on GSPA and the third between Pakistan and India on transit fee.
“Both Pakistan and Iran are ready to include India in the project,” he added.
The IPI gas pipeline project is being developed to bring gas from the Iranian South Pars Gas Field through land route to Pakistan and India.
A Term Sheet was signed between Iran and Pakistan in 2005 for supply of two billion cubic feet per day of natural gas for a period of 30 years.
An agreement on gas pricing formula had already been reached in January last year.
Iran has already expressed its desire to finalize the multi billion dollar gas pipeline deal with Pakistan without participation of India.