Pakistan slams India on IPI pipeline

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, July 11 (UPI) -- India should be condemned for delaying progress on the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline given rising energy costs, a Pakistani lawmaker said.

Dilawar Abbas, Senate chairman of the Pakistani Petroleum and Natural Resources Committee, said Pakistan would face a natural gas crisis by 2012 should the IPI pipeline deal fall through, the Pakistani Daily Times said.

"India is delaying the IPI gas pipeline in one way or the other," he said. "Pakistan should go ahead on the gas pipeline project, even without India."

He made his statements to reporters following a subcommittee meeting to discuss exploration of natural resources in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan.

He said regional Balochistan leaders and the Pakistani federal government need to make arrangements to secure the region to boost oil and gas production as energy prices continue to soar.

"Government should find ways to provide relief to the consumers after the oil prices continue upward rally," he said.