Pakistan and Russia will sign an inter‑governmental agreement for construction of North‑South gas pipeline

Islamabad, October 15, 2015 (PPI-OT): Pakistan-Russia LNG pipeline construction agreement on Friday, Pakistan and Russia will sign an inter‑governmental agreement for construction of North‑South gas pipeline here on Friday. A Russian delegation, led by Russia’s Energy Minister Alexander Novak, is already here for signing of the agreement.

The delegation held a preparatory meeting with Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi here on Thursday for laying of the pipeline between Karachi and Lahore. Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Minister of State for Petroleum Jam Kamal Khan, Secretary Petroleum Arshad Mirza and other senior officials of the ministry were also present on the occasion.

The project will be executed by a Russian company RT‑Global Resources ‑ a part of Russia State Corporation Rostec. The 1,100 kilometre pipeline with a capacity of 12.4bcm per annum will connect liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals located in Karachi with those of Lahore. Minister for Petroleum Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said Pakistan was passing through a severe energy crisis and the project would prove to be a milestone to overcome it.

He was confident that the construction work on the project would start within three to four months after signing of the agreement that would complete by December 2017. Minister Alexander Novak said Russia would provide all possible technical support and expertise, and the company would complete the project within the scheduled time.

He said Russia had a vast experience in energy sector and Pakistan could benefit it to steer out of the prevailing situation. Adviser Sartaj Aziz said Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, on sidelines of the recent Ufa Summit in Russia, had discussed the project with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He said the Prime Minister had expressed the desire that Mr Putin should visit Pakistan for performing ground‑breaking of the gas pipeline project.

For more information, contact:
Saqib Mumtaz
Public Relations Officer
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources
Office: +92-51-9210220
Mobile: +92-333-4125625
Email: propnr@gmail.com