ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, July 16 (UPI) -- The parties to the Iran-Pakistan-India natural gas pipeline announced a late July meeting to move the $7.4 billion project forward, officials said Wednesday.
Pakistan said a steering committee will meet in the capital, Islamabad, Thursday to discuss transit fees to ferry gas from the Iranian South Pars gas field and across Pakistan to India, The Press Trust of India said.
The committee met in January to approve a draft version of the Gas Sales Purchase Agreement with Iran.
For its part, India had balked on moving forward on the project because of pressure from the United States against dealing with Iran as well as political uncertainty in Pakistan.
Indian Petroleum Minister Murli Deora met with Pakistani officials in March to discuss the IPI project following the ascension to power of the Pakistan Peoples Party of the late Benazir Bhutto.
Pakistani economic analysts say the project could bring huge benefits to the country.
The date for the Tehran meeting is expected to be finalized following Thursday's meeting with the Pakistani steering committee.
