Pakistan and Turkmenistan agreed on Wednesday to expedite the TAPI project with Afghanistan’s participation, Pakistani media reported, adding that this agreement was reached following a meeting between Pakistan’s Minister of Petroleum, Musadik Malik, and Turkmenistan’s Foreign Minister, Rashid Meredov.
The TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) gas pipeline project is a major regional initiative that aims to transport natural gas from Turkmenistan to Pakistan and India via Afghanistan. Although the project was conceived in the 1990s and formally agreed upon by the involved countries in December 2010, it has faced delays due to security concerns, financial challenges, and other obstacles.
The TAPI pipeline will originate from the Galkynysh gas field, the second-largest gas field in the world, and extend to the Indian city of Fazilka, near the border with Pakistan. If implemented, the project will enable Turkmenistan to supply approximately 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually through a route covering over 1,800 kilometers.
Afghanistan stands to benefit significantly from transit fees and royalties, potentially earning millions of dollars annually.
During the meeting, Pakistan’s Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik emphasized the economic benefits of the TAPI pipeline, stating, “The TAPI pipeline project will reduce energy costs and can boost industrial growth, job creation, and economic development.”
Turkmenistan’s Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday for a two-day visit to discuss the advancement of the project.
