Pak-Russia sign Inter-Governmental agreement on the North-South Gas Pipeline

ISLAMABAD:(APS) Oct 16,2016-Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has said that the growing cooperation between Pakistan and Russia would help a great deal in fulfilling Pakistan’s energy requirements. The Prime Minister said this while meeting a Russian delegation led by Mr. Alexander Novak, Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation who called on the PM at PM House Islamabad, today.

This is the first such visit by a Russian Energy Minister to Pakistan in three decades. Both sides reviewed the overall state of bilateral energy cooperation between the two countries, the possibility of greater Russian investment in Pakistan’s Oil and Gas sector and exchanged views on the North South gas pipeline which would mark a new milestone in the bilateral energy cooperation between both countries.

During his call on the Prime Minister, the Russian Energy minister expressed the hope and satisfaction that his visit would pave the way for intensive energy cooperation between both the countries.

Later, the Prime Minister witnessed the signing ceremony of Inter-Governmental Agreement on the North South Gas Pipeline which aims to transport gas, with an additional capacity for LNG, from South to North Pakistan. The approximately $2 billion pipeline project traversing a distance of about 1,100 Kms is expected to be completed by 2018

Other members of the Russian delegation included Executive Director Mr. Kulikov S.A., General Director of RT Global Resources Mr. Korobov A.V. and other senior energy and technical experts. From Pakistan side, the meeting was attended by Minister for Petroleum & Natural Resources Mr. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Minister of State for Petroleum Mr. Jam Kamal, Special Assistant to PM Mr. Tariq Fatemi, Secretary Petroleum Mr. Arshad Mirza and other senior officers from Petroleum Ministry and PM Office.