China to have role in Iranian pipeline

Beijing was offered an engineering and equipment procurement contract for the natural gas pipeline planned from Iran to Pakistan, a source said.Pakistan and Iran are moving closer to finalizing plans for a natural gas pipeline from the South Pars gas complex in the Persian Gulf. The Iranians say their half of the pipeline is has been completed.A Pakistani delegation led by Federal Water and Power Minister Naveed Qamar "sought investment and offered the engineering and equipment procurement contract for the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline to China," sources close to the delegation told Pakistani newspaper The Nation.The source added that Beijing may find attractive investment opportunities in a Pakistan struggling to meet its energy demands.Islamabad recently invited expressions of interest for the $1.2 billion pipeline project.India was included in the initial pipeline plans but has stayed on the sidelines in recent years. New Delhi has worked with Washington on civilian nuclear energy programs and U.S. officials have expressed their reservations over the Iranian pipeline project.Pakistan would use most of the Iranian gas for its industrial sector.