ISLAMABAD: Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain on Friday rejected the impression that Turkmenistan had cut the price of gas because of American influence.
The US had earlier expressed reservations and opposed the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project.
“Our skillful negotiations led to a reduction in price of gas offered by Turkmenistan, and not (because of) American influence,” he said in a message on Friday.
US Embassy spokesperson Mark Stroh, in response to a question by this correspondent, also stated that there was no US role in th reduction of the Turkmen gas price. “Turkmenistan sets their gas prices, not the US,” he said.
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet was informed last week that Pakistan would renegotiate gas price with Iran as the price of Turkmenistan gas was now relatively lower.
IP gas price was $11 per mmcfd while Tapi was estimated at $13 per mmcfd. However a week ago, in a meeting in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, it was revealed that Turkmenistan had agreed to reduce the price from 55 percent price parity with international crude price to 45 percent. In addition Pakistan would also earn a transit fee from the Tapi project, while India is no longer a party to IP.-MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN
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