Pakistan is set to construct a natural gas pipeline from Iran, a move deemed essential for meeting its energy requirements but likely to stir concerns among its Western allies.
The Cabinet's Energy Committee has approved the commencement of an 80-kilometer section of the pipeline, which spans 800 kilometers from the Iranian border to the coastal city of Gwadar in Pakistan, to be funded by the government.
The project had been on hold for several years due to UN sanctions against Iran and restrictions on dollar transactions, deterring investor support.
In 2013, both nations signed a 25-year gas agreement, giving Iran grounds to potentially threaten Islamabad with international legal action.
Pakistan, which maintains close ties with both the United States and Iran, asserts the necessity of sufficient gas supplies to fuel its industry as domestic resources rapidly deplete.
The share of imported liquefied natural gas in the country's total supply has increased to 29%.
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