Context
Pakistan and Turkmenistan on Monday agreed to expedite their energy projects. President Asif Ali Zardari met with his counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov and announced that the two countries would make efforts to speedup the $7.6 billion four-country pipeline project.
The pipeline which was shelved last December in Ashgabat, was expected to run through Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. The two leaders announced that direct air links would be started between Pakistan and Turkmenistan to boost economic cooperation.
The TAPI pipeline would also be set up to provide energy security. Major issues including drug and weapons trafficking, illegal immigration, regional and international stability were also discussed. President Zardari praised the Joint Inter-governmental Turkmen Pakistan Commission for its role in strengthening the relations between the countries.
