The Islamic emirate said that it is ready to pay the cost of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project on its territory, TOLOnews reports. The information cited a statement by spokesman for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, Homayoun Afghan.
"Turkmenistan contributes to the support, as does Afghanistan and other nations like Pakistan and India. God willing, we are prepared to begin work whenever it begins, and if no alternative can be found, we are prepared to support ourselves."
Afghan said the country has been ensured and work is underway to acquire land for the transnational project.The TAPI project, spanning over 800km within Afghani territory, passes through the provinces of Herat, Farah, Nimroz, Helmand, and Kandahar.
The gas pipeline project with a yearly capacity of 33bn cubic metres started in December 2015. The Turkmen side previously confirmed that the pipeline had reached the Afghan border.
Experts informed Daryo that the leadership change in Kabul in August 2021 has halted the project.The Asian Development Bank (ADB), which advocated for the project, has closed its Afghanistan office until the Islamic Emirate gains worldwide recognition.
Moreover, safety concerns persist. Afghan field commanders have pledged to assemble a force of 30,000 fighters to safeguard the TAPI infrastructure, which is at risk of being destroyed by the Khorasan division of Islamic State.
Credits: Eziz Boyarov
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