Latest news with #Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India


Arab News
28-04-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan invites Turkmenistan's energy companies to set up operations amid investment push
ISLAMABAD: Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has invited Turkmenistan's energy companies to set up operations in Pakistan, state media reported on Monday, as Islamabad seeks foreign investment to boost the country's economy and resolve its energy issues. Energy-starved Pakistan is actively pursuing energy cooperation with Turkmenistan, particularly through the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) gas pipeline project. This initiative aims to transport natural gas from Turkmenistan's Galkynysh field to Pakistan, passing through Afghanistan and extending to India as well. Pakistan has attempted to strengthen cooperation in energy, tourism, mines and minerals as well as other priority sectors in recent months in its bid to attract international investment. It seeks to establish itself as a trade and transit hub that connects landlocked Central Asian states to the global economy. 'Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has invited energy companies of Turkmenistan to establish operations in Pakistan,' Radio Pakistan said in a report, adding that the minister was speaking at an event in Ashgabat. Iqbal said the TAPI gas pipeline project would contribute to regional energy security and support Pakistan's green energy transition, deeming it essential to cope with climate change impacts. The TAPI project was envisaged in the early 1990s and officially agreed upon in December 2010. It has primarily been delayed due to security concerns, geopolitical tensions, funding challenges and bureaucratic hurdles. Pakistan faces significant gas and energy problems that have deepened over the years due to a combination of rising demand, depleting domestic resources and poor management. The country's natural gas reserves are rapidly declining, while efforts to discover new fields have lagged behind. Pakistan has increasingly relied on imported liquefied natural gas which strains its foreign exchange reserves and exposes it to global price fluctuations. Frequent power shortages known as load-shedding disrupt daily life and hurt economic productivity. Outdated infrastructure, inefficiencies in the energy sector, circular debt and policy inconsistencies have made it difficult to develop long-term sustainable solutions.

Express Tribune
09-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Kazakhstan to join TAPI Gas Pipeline Project
Listen to article Kazakhstan is set to officially announce its participation in the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, heralding a new chapter in regional energy cooperation. This development was shared by the Ambassador of Kazakhstan during a meeting with Pakistan's Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Khalid Hussain Magsi, held in Islamabad on Tuesday. The high-level meeting focused on strengthening bilateral ties in key areas, including education, scientific research, and technological collaboration. Both sides expressed a firm commitment to deepening strategic cooperation between Kazakhstan and Pakistan. Khalid Hussain Magsi revealed that both nations are in the process of finalising several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at boosting collaboration in the education sector. He welcomed Kazakhstan's interest in enhancing institutional linkages, particularly the proposal to establish a joint research centre at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) in Islamabad. The Kazakh ambassador underscored the importance of creating a conducive business environment and proposed collaborative measures to curb smuggling. He emphasised that Kazakhstan views Pakistan as a key regional partner in achieving shared goals of economic connectivity and scientific advancement.