At the February 16 meeting of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with the new Ambassador of Pakistan to our country, Irfan Ahmed, special attention was paid to the implementation of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) transnational gas pipeline project.

 The ambassador noted that Pakistan was interested in the early implementation of this project, as well as the laying of power lines from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan to Pakistan and a fiber-optic communication line along the same route, which would serve to enhance the economic integration of the region's countries.

 The President of Turkmenistan emphasized that the TAPI gas pipeline, which would carry out long-term natural gas supplies to the countries of Southeast Asia, would give a powerful impetus to the economies of the entire region, contributing to the social well-being of peoples and the consolidation of peace.

 During the meeting, the diplomat presented his credentials to the head of the state and conveyed greetings from the President of Pakistan Arif Alvi, who expressed his readiness to intensify the dialogue.

 In September 2020, the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and his Pakistani counterpart Arif Alvi discussed the implementation of the TAPI project by phone.  The Turkmen leader expressed hope that with the assistance and support of the President of Pakistan, the construction of the TAPI gas pipeline would soon begin on the territory of this country.