![](https://nextpakistan.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/6307649.webp)
- March 28, 2024
- Kainat Shakeel
- 0
According to official statements from Washington, “assisting Pakistan in addressing its energy shortage crisis is a priority” for the US. The long-term Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project, which runs between Islamabad and Tehran, has been beset by funding issues and delays for several years. To avoid possible fines from Tehran worth $18 billion, the government decided to begin construction on an 80-kilometer section of the pipeline that would run from the Iranian border to Gwadar in February.
Washington issued a warning on Tuesday, stating that it did not support the gas pipeline project’s continuation and that doing business with Tehran carries a risk of sanctions. Following his announcement that Islamabad would request an exemption from US sanctions related to the gas pipeline project, Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik made the comments. “We’re going to ask to be spared the US sanctions.” Malik had told reporters informally that Pakistan could not afford to impose sanctions on the gas pipeline project.
At last week’s press briefing, a Foreign Office representative stated there was no possibility of a third-party discussion or waiver. This stands in stark contrast to the Foreign Office’s attitude. The matter gained significant attention after US diplomat Donald Lu stated that Washington was dedicated to blocking the pipeline’s construction in a deposition before a US House subcommittee. Here is when Lu pointed out that Islamabad has not requested a waiver of any US sanctions that the project might attract. When questioned about the US warning regarding the pipeline during a press briefing on Wednesday, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller noted that “it seems like the United States left it at nowhere to meet up with energy crisis.”
Miller responded by saying that aiding Pakistan in resolving its energy scarcity issue was “a priority for the United States.” We have encouraged Pakistan to add about 4,000 megawatts of additional clean energy capacity. Millions of Pakistanis now have electricity in their homes thanks to our projects, which have significantly increased the country’s electrical capacity, he said. Furthermore, he stated, “We are collaborating to address today’s most pressing environmental challenges, particularly around water management, climate-smart agriculture, and renewable energy through the United States-Pakistan Green Alliance, a transformative initiative between our two countries.”