Saudis Want Pakistan to Reconsider IP Pipeline Project

Saudi Arabia has sent feelers to Pakistan to abandon the Iran-Pakistan natural gas pipeline project, Press TV reported Wednesday.

Riyadh has sent a message to Islamabad offering and “alternative package” to meet latter’s growing energy needs.

The message from Saudi King Abdullah was conveyed by the country’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz in his meetings with Pakistani leaders on Tuesday. 

Saudi Arabia is said to have offered Pakistan a loan for the construction of a new oil facility to bail the country out of its financial and energy crises. 

The US also has grave reservations about the Iran-Pakistan pipeline project and  has been trying to lure Islamabad away from the project by offering cheaper gas to the country. 

The multi-billion-dollar gas pipeline aims to export a daily amount of 21.5 million cubic meters (or 7.8 billion cubic meters per year) of the Iranian natural gas to Pakistan.