ISLAMABAD, Feb 11: The World Bank has agreed to provide financial and technical support to Pakistan in importing gas through trans-national pipelines.

Informed sources told Dawn here on Friday that the World Bank has been requested to assist Pakistan in providing the benefits of its international experience in gas import through trans-national pipelines.

"The World Bank would send a special mission to Pakistan in the third week of this month for discussing various aspects relating to import of gas", a source said. Pakistan, he said, was seriously pursuing the gas import options with a view to removing its shortage in the coming years.

The sources also said that the government of Turkmenistan would submit its international experts report about the certification of Dualatabad gas field for undertaking Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan gas pipeline project at a cost of about $3 billion.

The sources said that once the reservoir engineering certification report was available, Pakistan would convene a meeting of the steering committee through the Asian Development Bank (ADB) within four weeks to take up the issue.

They also said that Indian cabinet has finally given clearance to the Indian Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to start bilateral and multilateral negotiations with Pakistan and other countries for laying trans-national pipelines for importing gas which was a "welcoming development".

Pakistan, the sources said, had all along supported such a move at the "highest level" and had given assurances of its full support for the safe transit of natural gas on any overland route option through Pakistan.

During the most recent visit of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on November 23, 2004, as chairman of Saarc, India was offered to join Pakistan in bringing natural gas to both India and Pakistan from the neighbouring countries of the West Asia over land route.

The sources said the decision of the Indian leadership to join Pakistan and other countries in bringing natural gas from across its border clearly vindicated the prime minister's view of collaborating with its neighbours in the path of progress and prosperity. It also indicated a welcome change in the approach or the Indian leadership towards the gas pipeline projects.

The prime minister, the sources said, had mentioned that Pakistan was focussing on the country's rapid economic development which could not be achieved without the input of requisite energy, which these gas pipelines provided.

"The prime minister had particularly clarified that in case India delayed decision, Pakistan will proceed with these projects on its own", another source said.