Pakistan’s energy security cannot be left on the mercy of Afghan politicians

Islamabad, September 18, 2016 (PPI-OT): Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders on Sunday said Afghanistan is trying best to harm Pakistan’s economy by forwarding unreasonable demands which is not improving relations between the two countries. Pakistan should also review the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) if Kabul allows Pakistani cargo through its land to Central Asia, it said.

Afghanistan cannot survive without Pakistan’s help but the country has started dancing on the tunes of the powers that want to damage Pakistan, said Patron Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders Shahid Rasheed Butt. Islamabad should ditch plan to import gas and electricity from central Asia which will be highly undependable and opt for import of energy from Iran, he said.

Shahid Rasheed Butt said that TAPI gas pipeline and transmission line of KASA 1000 project would pass through pro-India Afghanistan which will be a great risk for our energy security. Pakistan’s energy security cannot be left on the mercy of Afghan politicians therefore Government should expand LNG import project and try to import gas from Iran as soon as possible, he added.

He said that economic corridor is a fate changing project but it is not acceptable to some countries that have ganged up to destroy this project. A weak and pro-India government in Afghanistan will be in a position to interrupt or discontinue supply of gas and electricity to blackmail Pakistan to provide land route to India which will increase terrorism in Pakistan, he observed. Butt demanded that no country should be given an opportunity to damage our economy on the behest of foreign masters.

For more information, contact:
Jahangir Akhtar
Secretary General
Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industry
Office No, 9 Block E, Super Market, Islamabad
Cell: 0344-5111174