“This visit comes at the most troubling time for the region,” Inter Press Service (IPS) quoted Senator Mushaid Hussain Sayed, chairman of the Islamabad-based Pakistan-China Institute, as saying. He pointed to the war in Gaza and the resurgence of terrorism from Afghanistan, which borders both Pakistan and Iran.
Added tension comes after retaliatory strikes by Israel and Iran. A suspected Israeli strike on an Iranian consulate in Syria at the beginning of the month was followed by a retaliatory attack by Iran on Israel on April 13. US officials say Israel responded, despite a plea by UN Secretary-General António Guterres for restraint.
The gas pipeline will be an uneasy conversation to hold for Zardari, but with the lives and livelihoods of over 240 million Pakistanis tied to this fuel, finding a solution is of paramount importance for the rulers.
Pakistan needs gas more for residential, commercial, and industrial purposes now than for power generation, said energy expert Vaqar Zakaria, heading the Islamabad-based Hagler Bailley Pakistan, the environment consultancy company.
Moreover, warned Anwar, given that Pakistan needs support from the International Monetary Fund, which would also require US support, Pakistan needs to tread a careful path.”
