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Pakistan, Iran to sign GSP pact in Tehran next week

By Zafar Bhutta

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran may sign the Gas Sales Purchase Agreement (GSPA) in Tehran in last week of the current month on Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project, sources told Daily Times here on Thursday.

Sources said that Iran has proposed February 24 to sign GSPA on IPI gas pipeline project in Tehran after the general elections in Pakistan. Earlier, Pakistan had proposed January 25 to sign GSPA on IPI in Abu Dhabi but Tehran declined to sign it in Abu Dhabi. Tehran told Pakistan that it wanted to sign agreement in Tehran with the new Pakistani elected government.

Sources said that draft of GSPA on IPI is ready to be signed by both Pakistan and Iran as Pakistani law ministry has vetted the draft of the agreement. Sources added that India was playing tactics with Pakistan to delay the signing of GSPA on IPI between Pakistan and Iran. Pakistan has been inviting India to hold the talks for settling the issue of transit fee for gas transportation but the latter has never responded in better advancement.

Sources further said that Indian Petroleum Minister Murli Deora was scheduled to reach on February 7 in Islamabad to sort out issues relating to Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project especially transit fee. Pakistan had offered India to talk on transit fee on February 7 here in Islamabad but India neither declined Pakistani’s offer to discuss on transit fee neither India officially confirmed the arrival of Indian Petroleum Minister till February 6 to Pakistani concerned authorities.

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