Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline indecision

A diplomatic misunderstanding with our western neighbour has increased as a result of the outgoing administration’s inability to present a cogent official narrative on the status of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline. According to a statement made before the National Assembly and attributed to Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik, Pakistan had invoked the agreement’s “force majeure and excusing event” clause, effectively meaning that the project had been put on hold out of concern for possible American sanctions. Although Pakistan was still interested in the gas plan, Mr Malik emphasised on Wednesday that the statement was the result of a bureaucratic error within his ministry. Speaking to the media, Mr. Malik claimed that the policy statement that had been field to the house on his behalf had not been viewed by him and called it “complete disinformation” considering that the force majeure warning had been issued nearly ten years prior. He continued by saying that Pakistan was making “positive” progress in its efforts to obtain a waiver for the project from the US and the UN. Moreover, Pakistan was “absolutely still committed” to the endeavour, according to remarks made to the media by outgoing Foreign Minister Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari. First, an internal investigation is required to ascertain how such obsolete and inaccurate material was delivered to parliament on a ministers behalf. The matter, as Mr. Malik highlighted, is a “delicate geopolitical matter” and really runs the risk of deteriorating relations with a friendly neighbour. Before it is made public, information on such delicate topics must be carefully scrutinised. The state’s continued interest in the project and efforts to persuade the US to grant it a waiver in order to complete the plan are to be applauded. The main goal for Pakistan should be to obtain a competitive hydrocarbon supply while avoiding sanctions. This goal is totally achievable if the state plays its cards correctly. After all, despite American objections, Turkey and Iraq continue to purchase Iranian gas, while China and India also import significant quantities of Russian petroleum. In order to construct the pipeline and persuade our friends in Washington that the plan is crucial for Pakistan’s energy security, the state should, if it believes the project to be in the country’s best interests.