The Pakistan government on Wednesday accorded formal approval for the Turkemenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project and a gas pipeline framework agreement for the venture.
The approval was given during a meeting of the federal cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in Lahore, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira told a news conference at Governor's House.
This international gas pipeline project was in the best interest of Pakistan and the venture would continue among Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan even if India did not sign the agreement, he said.
Kaira said the cabinet also gave its nod to a draft MoU on cooperation between the Naif Arab University For Security Sciences of Saudi Arabia and the National Defence University of Pakistan and the renewal of an MoU on defence and defence equipment between Pakistan and South Africa for a period of five years.