Karachi: It is no exaggeration to call Pakistan’s energy crisis the mother of all crises. I have reiterated in the previous article the negative impact of the crisis on all parts of society, ignoring this elephant in the room is not something we as a nation can take back. At the heart of this crisis is the rapid depletion of the country’s energy resources and a huge lack of research and development. Pakistan’s reliance on limited energy resources, mainly natural gas and oil, has led to an imbalance between supply and demand.
Iran, which has the world’s second-largest gas reserves of 33 trillion cubic meters, second only to Russia, is a sad situation for neighboring countries. However, utilizing these resources requires political courage determination, and foreign policy expertise. Unfortunately, the leadership of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) during PDM 1.0, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said, “Candidates cannot be elected!” He threw in the towel as he announced. Iqbal’s dismissal means that, as US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu noted in a congressional hearing, we gave up before we tried. He told committee members that Pakistan was not even appealing to the United States for refusing to build a pipeline with Iran.
Alternatively, another pipeline option – Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) – originating in Turkmenistan, is more geopolitically complicated because the majority of the pipeline will pass through Afghanistan. the area becomes the fastest and most hostile. In addition, the TAPI pipeline passes through difficult terrain, including mountainous areas and seismic areas, which can cause technical and logistical challenges during construction and operation. These challenges can make project viability more difficult, causing delays and cost overruns.
The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project offers several long-term benefits for Pakistan that could significantly affect the economy, energy security, and regional relations. First, a pipeline that can help meet the country’s growing energy needs by providing a stable and reliable source of natural gas. This will reduce the country’s dependence on more volatile and less imported fuels such as coal, oil, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) and help stabilize energy prices, benefiting consumers and industry.
Second, the pipeline project could improve Pakistan’s economic ties with Iran, leading to increased trade and investment opportunities. The project could be a major confidence-building step, especially in the dire security situation in the border areas of the two countries. The project could also open new markets for Pakistani goods and services and pave the way for regional cooperation.
In addition, Pakistan is committed to strengthening energy security by diversifying energy sources. This will improve the country’s overall energy stability and reduce vulnerability to supply disruptions and geopolitical pressures.
Overall, the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project can significantly contribute to Pakistan’s economic development, energy security, and regional cooperation, and will be an important part of the country’s long-term energy strategy. However, the government’s response to important infrastructure projects such as those aimed at securing future energy supplies remains vague and contradictory.
On the one hand, the spokesperson of our Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently told the Voice of America (VoA) that it is not necessary to leave the United States to build a pipeline in our region, and on the other hand, we have not done anything. build a section of 80 kilometers. pipeline, as agreed by the interim government. Failure to act will have until September 2024, which could avoid $18 billion in fines and restitution. Incidentally, in the latest statement by the Minister of Petroleum Musadik Malik, it seems that the government has decided to approach the US government for the necessary waiver.
Additionally, US President Joe Biden’s letter after years of silence from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif raised hopes of softening Washington’s stance on Pakistan. This, of course, allows the waiver to pass the House of Representatives by making a broad case for the project through effective lobbying.