Political leaders voice support for Iran-Pakistan gas project
ISLAMABAD, March 21 (APP): Pakistani government leaders and senior opposition figures have urged the government to implement the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project, saying the project is a must for the country’s energy requirements.
Talking to IRNA, separately they advised the government not to accept foreign pressure on the project. Governor Balochistan Province Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi said that Pakistan has the best possible relations with Iran.
“We should go ahead with the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project”, he said to a question. Answering a query about the pressure on Iran’s peaceful nuclear programme the governor said, ‘If the west can have nuclear technology then why not Iran.’
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar speaking to IRNA said ‘We have very strong relations with Iran and we are trying to take our relations at the highest level.’
He added that ‘it is very important for us to have the Iran- Pakistan gas pipeline and we are trying to complete the project as early as possible.’
Talking to IRNA, Farooq Sattar, Federal Minister for Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, said that Iran and Pakistan enjoy very strong cordial relations. He said the relations have remained strong irrespective of change of governments in both the countries.
“It is mandatory for Iran and Pakistan to have the best of the relations to overcome the challenges that the both countries are facing today at the international level”, said Farooq Sattar.
He was of the view that the enhancement in the Pakistan-Iran trade relations is the need of hour and the gas pipeline project will become an opportunity to bring both the countries more closer.
“The project will also give a boost to the economies of Iran and Pakistan and bring economic stability in the region as well,” he strongly believed.
Senior opposition leader and chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman told IRNA ‘as far as the foreign policy is concerned our party believes that we should have strong relations with our neighbors, and the relationship with China has set a standard for our relations with other neighbors.’
“We fully support the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project that will overcome the energy crises in Pakistan,” said Maulana Fazlur Rehman. He stressed the need to further strengthen the Pakistan-Iran relationship.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman said Pakistan and Iran are fully capable to solve the problems of the region with a joint strategy.
