Pakistan PM says Islamabad resolved to go ahead with Iran gas plan

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said on Sunday that Islamabad is keen to go ahead with the proposed gas pipeline project with Iran in order to overcome its energy crisis. Talking to journalists at the Government College, Hyderabad, during a visit to his alma mater, he said, “Pakistan is facing a serious energy crisis and we want to end it as soon as possible.” He, however, avoided commenting specifically on a statement by a U.S. State Department spokeswoman warning Pakistan of sanctions if it went ahead with the Iran gas pipeline project. “We believe there are better, more secure and more efficient ways for Pakistan to get its power. We’ve made clear to countries around the world, including Pakistan, that we believe it’s in their interest to avoid activities that could be prohibited by UN sanctions or that could be ‘sanctionable’ under U.S. law,” the spokeswoman had warned Islamabad on Friday. The prime minister said the energy crisis had become a big burden on the national economy. He said everyone knew that India had been part of the project in the past.