US lures Pakistan away from gasline: The Nation

Afzal Bajwa

ISLAMABAD - Asking to stay away from Iranian gas pipeline for enhanced American energy cooperation, the Washington left Islamabad in a fix on Monday to choose between nearest available gas line or help line from US in tackling the ever-growing energy crisis.
“In case Pakistan withdraws from the primary partnership of transnational Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) Gas Pipeline project, it would also get the American support to get funds committed by the Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP),” sources told TheNation here on Monday.
According to the sources, President Obama’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke and Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin tossed these options during their meeting here on Monday. US High Commissioner Anne W Patterson flanked the special envoy while State Minister for Finance Hina Rabbani Khar was there to reinforce the Pakistani side.
Meanwhile, an official handout stated that the federal minister briefed Holbrooke about the state of Pakistani economy, particularly the issues related to energy crisis.

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