Pakistan negotiating affordable gas import from Iran, says minister

Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik announced negotiations are underway with Iran to import affordable gas.

News ID: 5670

Date: 31 December 2024 - 11:49

TABNAK, Dec 31: Speaking to the media in Lahore, Musadik Malik said there are ongoing negotiations with Iran and a cautious approach to avoid triggering international sanctions, the Express Tribune reported on Sunday.

“If affordable gas is available, why wouldn’t we consider it?” he said, adding, “But we must ensure our economy is not destroyed by restrictions.”

Last week, Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam said the people and government of Pakistan want to implement the joint gas project, “but apparently, a government that claims to be friendly to Pakistan is preventing this.”

“The gas contract between Iran and Pakistan has been extended once, and according to its text, it is not possible to extend it again,” he said during a meeting with a delegation of representatives of Balochistan province in the country's Senate and National Assembly.

“It is obvious that referring to the arbitration court is not Iran’s preferred option,” he said, adding that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed the issue with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan during his official visit to Islamabad last month.