"Now elections in Pakistan are over, and most likely the Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) headed government is going to take the charge,” the
Pakistani official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, The Nation
reported.
"Both sides would put their heads together to find out the way out how to
proceed for implementation of the project in the presence of the US sanctions.
So under the new scenario, the top mandarins of both countries would also work
out new timelines for the project’s completion,” he said.
According to the official, Iran and Pakistan have already agreed to open up and
review the gas sales- purchase agreement (GSPA) inked between the two in 2009.
Iran has repeatedly called on the energy-starved Pakistan to initiate work on
its part of the gas pipeline, but those pleas have fallen on deaf ears except
for pledges from some Pakistan officials that they were still committed to the
project.
Tehran is already selling 1,000 megawatts of electricity to Pakistan and plans
to increase this up to 3,000 megawatts, according to Iranian President Hassan
Rouhani.
The energy crisis in Pakistan, which suffers about 12 hours of power cuts a day,
has worsened in recent years amid 4,000 megawatts of electricity shortfall. The
nation of 190 million people can only supply about two-thirds of its gas needs.
Source:Tasnim