TAPI project, vital for regional prosperity: PM

ISLAMABAD, Feb 23 (APP):Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Friday noting the critical role of Afghanistan in the success of
Turkmenistan Afghanistan Pakistan India (TAPI) gas pipeline, said the project was vital for prosperity of the region.
“Let today be the start of a new era of peace, trust and prosperity in the region,” Prime Minister
Abbasi said at Herat, Afghanistan on the second leg of the ground breaking of the TAPI pipeline
project’s link-up with road, rail and fiber-optic network.
Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani
and India’s Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar attended the event.
Prime Minister Abbasi in his address, broadcast by the PTV, said the historic project would
impact hundreds of millions of lives of the people of the region.
He appreciated the vision of presidents of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan and congratulated the
people of the countries involved in the project.
He also thanked the leadership of the respective countries for bringing the people closer to each
other by enhancing connectivity in the fields of energy, power, air, IT, rail and economic zones. He
viewed that the interdependence in the region was vital for sustainable peace.
The prime minister, appreciating the role of Afghanistan in the ambitious project, said TAPI
could not happen without Afghanistan.
He expressed gratitude to President Ashraf Ghani for ensuring success of this project and for
bringing the people of the region closer.
He was optimist that the project would strengthen historical ties and reiterated Pakistan’s full
commitment for Afghan peace and assured that the commitment would remain unchanged.
The prime minister believed that no country was more interested in peace and stability in
Afghanistan than Pakistan.
He told the international gathering that Afghanistan would not find any better partner to peace
than Pakistan.
“Your success is our success. Your development is our development. Peace in Afghanistan is like
peace in Pakistan,” he remarked.