During his visit starting May 25, Aiyar will push for diesel and petrochemical exports to Pakistan and discuss import of natural gas from Iran through a 2600-km pipeline, 760-km of which is to pass through Pakistan.
"I am leaving for Islamabad on 25th May. The bilateral talks are scheduled for May 26 and 27," he said. On May 28, the Minister will visit Sui gas field and the next day he will be in Karachi.
During the meeting with his Pakistani counterpart, Aiyar said he would take up the issue of removing diesel from the negative list of importable items from India.
He would also look at settling the transit issue with Pakistan before his June trip to Tehran to seal a deal for the import of 60-70 million standard cubic meters per day of natural gas from Iran via the $4.16 billion pipeline.
"Aiyar will discuss issues like the route of the pipeline, transit fee etc with Pakistan as all it will have an important bearing on the cost of gas," an official of the Petroleum Ministry said.
India and Iran are currently engaged in detailing techno- commercial issues like gas volumes, route and price and Aiyar's visit to Tehran would be for signing a firm pact.
