ISLAMABAD: Economist and former finance minister Dr Hafiz Pasha believes that Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project is the most viable and feasible energy project for Pakistan and needs to be completed at the earliest.
In an Interview with IRNA, Dr Pasha said that the gas pipeline project should be the top priority in Iran-Pakistan relations.
“This project has to be revived at the earliest, because it is most viable and feasible project for Pakistan,” he noted.
Mr Pasha said that as compared to other energy projects including Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI), CASA-1000 and Qatar LNG, the IP gas pipeline is the most suitable project.
“Price of the IP is very attractive and it should be the first priority for Pakistan,” he stressed.
Expressing his views Mr Pasha said that Pakistan should also try to sign bilateral trade agreement with Iran with special focus on the exports of rice and textile products from Iran and import of oil products and other things from Iran. “So far we don’t have any such agreement with Iran,” he noted.
“We should take immediate steps to enhance our trade with Iran after removal of sanctions from the Islamic Republic,” he said, adding after the lifting sanctions, new opportunities are emerging in Iran and being first neighbour of Iran, Pakistan should take advantage of this situation.
The economist added that strong economic and trade ties are in the interest of both Iran and Pakistan.
He said that the current volume of trade between Iran and Pakistan is less than its potential and capacity of the neighbouring countries.
“But I again insist that the IP gas pipeline should be the top priority in Iran-Pak ties, we are importing LNG from Qatar which is quite far away and expensive,” he said.
The former minister went on to say that IP is more important for Pakistan because of its proximity and the price is very reasonable.
Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project, once known as the ‘Peace Pipeline’, is about 1,900-kilometre long pipeline which will transfer natural gas from Iran to Pakistan when completed.
The Pakistan Gas Stream, is the revolution
In Step 1 – Putin is preparing the stage to exit the EU Gas market and pushing the EU to expensive LNG and billions in LNG infra ! That will raise the cost of manufacturing and cost of living in EU and thus the inflation in EU.Hence,EU will NO LONGER be an export hub to PRC and Euro will depreciate SEVERAL EU INDUSTRIES WHICH USE GAS AS AN INPUT (FEEDSTOCK OR FOR POWER – BEYOND A %),WILL CEASE TO EXIT.
In Step 2 – The Gas not sold to EU,will be sold,via many streams – like the Pakistan Stream, to “LOW COST NATIONS”, where lower GAS COSTS = REVOLUTION,like in Pakistan ! Pipeline Gas, will crash the cost of Power, and also ,the cost of Industrial manufacturing = lower imports and a quantum leap in exports = NO CAD and PKR appreciation. In addition, several NEW INDUSTRIES,WHICH USE GAS AS FEEDSTOCK,WILL COME UP.
In one stroke,Putin has crashed,Pakistan’s cost of manufacture, and make EU manufacturing unviable
In Step 3 – Putin will use Pakistan to export to EU,,products which ARE UNVIABLE TO MAKE IN EU or TOO COSTLY (due to the RUSSIAN EXIT FROM THE EU GAS MARKET).This is Genius !So Putin, 1st destroys EU manufacturing,raises EU inflation and THEN GETS NATIONS LIKE PAKISTAN TO EXPORT TO THE EU – to offset the EU lack of competitiveness !
Let us call this VALUE ADDED GAS SERVICES and tapping into the Gas Value addition Value Chain
In Step 4 – Putin will get PRC to invest in Mega Billion USD SEZ in Pakistan – TO USE RUSSIAN GAS,CHINESE MONEY,CHINESE TECHNOLOGY,PAKISTAN MANPOWER AND PAKISTAN’s GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION, TO SET UP INDUSTRIES,WHICH ARE GAS GUZZLERS ,FOR EXPORTS, TO THE WHOLE WORLD – ESPECIALLY,THE EU. Russia and PRC will be investors in these industries,in part,and will use the profit streams to invest in the Pakistan Coal and Minerals sector, for conversion to power,and metal smelters.
In Step 5 – .No nation has more skill in metal smelting than Russia, & no nation has more need for Metals – than PRC.That makes the Gas,Minerals & Metals, a perfect mix.The House of Saud, is already investing Billions in Pakistan Oil – & will invest even MORE with the Russian-China-Pakistan triad – to make a Quad,right next to India !
In Step 6 – The industrial revolution will begin in Afghanistan – with the Gas Pipeline & the minerals, will be extracted on a massive scale, for conversion,at the nearest logistics point,which is Pakistan (in the short term) – also because,Pakistan has a deep draft port for export !
In Step 7 – The Indians will try to scuttle the gas grid,with the Americans – in Afghanistan or Kaza or Uzbek or EVEN in Pakistan.That will place Pakistan-PRC-Russia-Afghanistan-Kaza-Uzbek ,into a security grid,with billions pumped into Pakistan ,for Missile tech,ADS, Navy & Airforce,by Russia &China.
In Step 8 – That leaves out ,ONLY FOOD ! Hence, PRC & Russia – who are the best water and dam experts in the world – will get water into Balochistan & other parts of Pakistan, by making dams & canals,to use the fertile lands of Pakistan to feed Russia,PRC & the Central Asian republics.Consistent water supply & low cost power,can cause an AGRI REVOLUTION ,w/o any peer in the world.No other nation or geography has that much potential.(and Baloch has Gwadar,,for exports)
From Peter the Great,to Putin the Divine !
Many opined about this TRIAD of PRC-Russia-Pakistan – but only 1 man,saw it,a long time ago,when it was considered, a crazed rhapsody.Lt Gen Hamid Gul ! Time for Pakistan to exit the Axis of the USA.dindooohindoo
A NWO has been born,with the Russian Octopus,which has the brain & body of PRC-Russia, tentacles (like gas pipelines) and each tentacle is REVOLUTIONISING NATIONS LIKE PAKISTAN ! It will also provide a no-war guarantee from the Indian weasels,as the India-US axis will not attack Russian and Chinese Assets inside Pakistan
Thiis is the Model for a Win-Win Partnership by Russia and PRC all over the world.
Jiye Jiye Pakistan !