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| Baloch unrest triggers concerns on gas pipeline | | |
New Delhi, Aug 29 The growing unrest in Balochistan has triggered security concerns with regard to the future of the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline that has to pass through the Pakistani region.
The issue of security for the pipeline came up during talks between Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Rajiv Sikri and visiting Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Safari here today as they discussed various aspects of the project.
The two sides were of the view that security aspect of the US $7.4 billion IPI pipeline needed to be looked at in view of the increase in violence in Balochistan following killing of the region's prominent leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti by Pakistani army, sources said.
The unrest, which is feared to increase further because of Bugti's killing, has added a new security dimension to the project, which is already stuck on the pricing issue, they said.
The two sides affirmed their commitment to the pipeline project even as its security aspect would be under a scanner.
Balochistan has often been witnessing attacks against gas pipelines and the growing unrest has only added to the concerns.
The Iranian dignatory conveyed to the Indian side that his government was committed to the pipeline project as well as the US $22 billion LNG project.
New Delhi asked Tehran to honour the LNG deal signed in June last year. Safari said there were some stake-holders to the LNG deal and its pros and cons were being debated. |
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