Tapi - an Economic and Stabilizing Corridor

Byline: Col Dr Muhammad Khan The US State Department Assistant Secretary of South and Central Asian Affairs, Ms. Susan Elliott has described the TAPI, as an energy route that "may serve as a stabilizing corridor, linking neighbors together in economic growth and prosperity." Highlighting its significance, she said, "the road ahead is long for this project, but the benefits could be tremendous and are certainly worthy of the diligence demonstrated by these four natural gas pipeline project has been signed on December 11, 2010, during Ashkhabad Summit. Initially, the project was conceived as TAP (Turkmens tan-Afghanistan-Pakistan) in 1990s, and later revived twice as TAP and TAPI, in early 2000s, during Kara administration in Afghanistan. Owing to uncertain sec unity environment along the proposed route, the project could not take a kick-start earlier.