Pakistan has mobilised experts from the National Engineering Services Pakistan (Nespak) to undertake a reconnaissance mission, preparatory to laying the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline on Pakistan side of the border, Business Recorder has learnt.
In this connection, a meeting was held on Thursday at the Inter State Gas System (ISGS), attended by Werner Kainz, Project Manager, ILF, Germany, and Yawer S Ansari Project Manager, Nespak. Nespak team consists of 10 senior experts, equipped with the Global Positioning System (GPS) and other state-of-the-art instruments with the terms of reference to study constraints in detail, and to submit a report to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources.
The Minister of Petroleum on May 28 gave the green signal to Nespak to initiate work on the feasibility study of Pakistan's section of the pipeline, from the Iranian border to district Nawabshah. Pakistan currently is facing severe energy crisis and the government has announced a new plan of load management that envisages suspension of gas supply to factories for two days a week.
The government has also declared two-and-a-half days per week suspension in supply of compressed natural gas (CNG) in Punjab and two days in Sindh. The people, especially taxi and public transport drivers, have protested against the decision while consumers have expressed concern over overcharging by transporters.
Dr Asim Hussain, Federal Minister for Petroleum, recently stated that the government would soon announce an energy plan to explore ways to find solutions to the fast growing energy crisis. He described the energy shortage as "very dangerous" and hoped that the situation would improve by June next year.
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