“It is a project of immense importance to people of Pakistan,” Zardari said on Tuesday, noting that his country desperately needs energy.
“Pakistan is our priority and...we do things for [our] national interest and not for any other reason,” the Pakistani president said in response to the United States warning to Islamabad to “avoid activity that could result in sanctions.”
The president stressed that Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project should be seen as “a measure [taken] to overcome the power shortage in the country.”
Pakistan says it suffers from a crushing energy crisis and the construction of Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline aims to allay the energy shortage.
Iran has already built 900 kilometers of the pipeline on its soil and it has offered to finance and help build the 700-kilometer tranche of the pipeline on the Pakistani side.
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Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari says his country will push ahead with the long-awaited Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline despite US attempts to hinder the project.
News ID 184399
