Pakistan reaffirms commitment to agreement on gas pipeline

Pakistan on Thursday reaffirmed commitment to the agreement with Iran on multi-billion gas pipeline project, dismissing the US objection. 'We are pursuing the pipeline project and to complete it by 2014 to meet our energy requirements. It is important for our economic growth,' Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said at weekly press briefing. The project will be completed by 2014 as per agreement with Iran, the spokesman said. “Pakistan’s stance is very clear and cannot be changed,” he insisted. To a question about Iran’s nuclear programme, he said that all issues regarding Iran’s atomic programme must be resolved through negotiations. Next week, Pakistan will host the leaders of Afghanistan and Iran at a summit devoted to counter-terrorism, Basit said. 'It is a two-day summit, to be held on February 16-17 in Islamabad.' It will be attended by Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, he said. 'The trilateral summit is important for the leaders to get together and discuss important regional issues pertaining to counter-terrorism and organised crimes including drug trafficking,' Basit said. Asked about the US sanctions, Basit said Pakistan is opposed to any new conflict in the region and called for dialogue. To a question he said Islamabad has conveyed its concerns to Washington over the Congress committee meeting on Balochistan provimce. On a query Basit said that NATO supply line would be resumed under recommendations by the Parliamentary committee. He said Prime Minster’s visit to Qatar was highly successful and this visit would boost friendly relations between two brotherly countries. He said there was no meeting between Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and Afghan Taliban representatives in Qatar and a misconception was created when the Prime Minister visited the Gulf state this week.