Islamabad: Pakistan and Turkmenistan have agreed to enhance their economic cooperation, focusing on significant projects such as the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) power transmission line, Trend reports via Turkmenistan’s Foreign Ministry.

According to Trend News Agency, the decision to bolster economic ties was made during conversations between Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. These talks took place while the Turkmen delegation was present at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of Government meeting. Both parties recognized the potential for increasing trade turnover and expanding mutually beneficial relationships through these projects.

The discussions also reviewed the progress of previously signed agreements and stressed the importance of continued collaborative efforts to ensure the success of these initiatives. The finalized bilateral documents pertinent to t
hese projects were also acknowledged, indicating readiness for their execution.

The TAPI pipeline project, initiated by Turkmenistan on December 13, 2015, aims to transport natural gas from Turkmenistan across Afghanistan and Pakistan to India, providing an annual capacity of 33 billion cubic meters of gas. This project is part of Turkmenistan’s strategy to diversify its energy export routes and enhance economic relations within the region.