A high level Turkmen delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Vepa Hajiyev and a Pakistani delegation led by Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar in a meeting on Monday in Islamabad stressed the need to expedite the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project.
The sides discussed various aspects of the TAPI gas pipeline and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) power transmission line projects, the Pakistani Government said in its press release on the meeting.
Minister Hammad Azhar reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to TAPI project and stressed the need to expedite it. The same devotion to the multi-lateral project was expressed from Turkmenistan’s side.
Hammad Azhar further expressed the resolve of the Government of Pakistan for early completion of the TAPI project on account of Pakistan’s need for additional supplies of natural gas. He requested the Turkmen side to take steps for early completion of the project.
Pakistan agreed to hold the meeting of the technical working group on Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) power transmission line in a week that will work around the pre-feasibility parameters of the project.
The sides also decided to hold the meeting of technical working group on TAPI project on Tuesday to propose the future roadmap given the changed dynamics of the project.
The Turkmen delegation also included TAPI Pipeline Company Limited CEO Muhammetmyrat Amanov, Head of Turkmen Energy Ministry’s International Electricity Projects Department in the TAP direction Myrat Artykov, Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Pakistan Atajan Movlyamov, Chairman of the Türkmenenergogurluşyk concern N. Atayev, and representatives of the project company – Çalık Holding. Pakistan’s delegation included Secretary of Power Division Syed Asif Haider Shah, Secretary of Petroleum Division Ali Raza Bhutta and senior officials of the Ministry of Energy.
The meeting was held within the framework of Deputy Foreign Minister Vepa Hajiyev’s working visit to Islamabad from January 30 to February 4 for talks on joint energy projects.
