The Gas Pipeline Framework Agreement (GPFA) for the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline will be signed in Ashkhabad on Monday, according to a release put out by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Resources here.
Pakistan will be represented by Petroleum Minister Syed Naveed Qamar, and the statement issued here said that his Indian counterpart will also be present at the signing of the GPFA.
After signing the GPFA, the four countries are planning to enter into another round of negotiations to finalise the Gas Sales Purchase Agreement during a proposed TAPI summit in the Turkmenistan capital itself.
Late entrant
The TAPI pipeline project envisages transporting natural gas from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan to Pakistan and India. India is a late entrant as the other three countries had signed the Inter Governmental Agreement in 2002. For the induction of India, a revised GPFA was initialled in 2008, the Ministry statement said.
The 1,680 km-long-pipeline is expected to carry 3.2 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) gas from Turkmenistan. It will deliver 0.5 bcfd to Afghanistan and 1.35 bcfd each to Pakistan and India.
