Will talk to Afghan Taliban for security of TAPI project: Khawaja Asif  

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has stated that Pakistan would talk to Afghan Taliban for security of gas pipeline coming from Turkmenistan, Afghanistan to Pakistan and India (TAPI).

Talking to BBC Urdu Khawaja Asif, who is also Minister for Water and Power, said TAPI project is extremely important to overcome energy crisis. He said Pakistan would use influence on Taliban if needed for the protection of this project so that security concerns could be redressed.

Khawaja Asif said construction on TAPI project would be initiated from Sunday December 13 and for this Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi are arriving Turkmenistan.

About 1700km gas pipeline would be completed within a period of two years with the cost of $10 billions.