Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on June 8 received a delegation of Turkmenistan headed by the Minister of State – Chairman of the State Concern “Turkmengas” Maksat Babayev.
During the meeting, the Turkmen side informed the Prime Minister about the implementation of large-scale joint projects between Turkmenistan and Pakistan.
This was reported in a press release from the Turkmen embassy in Islamabad.
During the meeting, the parties discussed a wide range of issues of bilateral cooperation in the energy sector, particularly the projects for the construction of the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) transnational gas pipeline, and the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan power transmission and fiber-optic communication line (TAP).
It was agreed that significant progress has been made in terms of the practical implementation of the TAPI Project. The construction of the 214-km long Turkmenistan section of the TAPI pipeline from the Galkynysh gas field in Turkmenistan to the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan border has been completed.
The TAPI gas pipeline will run in parallel to the TAP power transmission line that will not only provide the TAPI Gas Pipeline and its facilities with electric energy but will also play a significant role in satisfying Pakistan’s domestic and industrial demand for electricity and reducing electricity costs.
The Pakistan side emphasized that the TAPI and TAP Projects had full support of the Government of Pakistan as they were crucial for the socio-economic prosperity of the region and for ensuring energy security and economic growth in Pakistan.
The parties agreed to maintain regular contacts between the Technical Working Groups of Turkmenistan and Pakistan on the implementation of joint energy projects.
At the end of the meeting, the signing ceremony of the Joint Implementation Plan for the Accelerated Implementation of the TAPI Gas Pipeline Project took place.
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