Balochistan unrest threatens Turkmenistan-India gas pipeline
Islamabad (AsiaNews/Agencies) Recent episodes of violence involving thousands of protesters rallying after the death of a tribal leader in Balochistan at the hands of the Pakistani army is in danger of compromising an ambitious pipeline project that would bring gas from Turkmenistan to India via Afghanistan and Pakistan.
On Tuesday, more than 10,000 people attended memorial prayers for Nawab Akbar Bugti, causing street protests and disorder. He was killed on August 26 when the army stormed his refuge.
Nawab, a former governor of Balochistan, was fighting for greater autonomy of his province.
With about 6 million people, Balochistan's population is almost half that of Pakistan's biggest city, Karachi, but in terms of mineral wealth it is the country's richest region.
Plans are now underway to build a 2,000km pipeline that would run through the province with to 30 billion cubic metres of natural gas piped from the Dauletabad fields in south-east Turkmenistan to India through western Afghanistan.
An alternative route through Pakistan's North West Frontier Province has been dropped for security concerns, which have been heightened by Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan's southern provinces.
Last week, news reports in Kabul said that the pipeline deal was in the final stages of approval with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) funding the US$ 3.5 billion, three-year project.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai said the pipeline, which will pass through his war-ravaged country, could generate US$ 100 million to US$ 300 million per year in transit fees for his government and create thousands of jobs.
On December 9, 2003, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkmenistan had signed a protocol on the pipeline, but construction became feasible only this year when India joined the project. Without the energy-hungry India market the gas pipeline might not have been profitable.
For Turkmen Oil, Gas and Natural Resource Minister Gurbanmyrat Ataev, the pipeline was a priority gas export route.
The Central Asia nation has potential hydrocarbon reserves worth over 45.44 billion tonnes of oil equivalent.
Since 2004 Balochistan has been the scene of clashes between the Pakistani army and separatists. The latter have often targeted gas installations. (PB)
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