The Pakistani edition of The News revealed some details of the meeting of representatives of Turkmenistan, headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Vepa Khadzhiev , held in Islamabad on January 31 with a Pakistani delegation represented by Energy Minister Hammad Azhar .

The Turkmen delegation informed the Pakistani side that the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which was the coordinator of the TAPI project, has suspended its participation in the implementation of the gas pipeline until the UN and major economic states recognize the Taliban government. Azhar told journalists about this.

Nevertheless, the parties decided to continue working on the project.

The Turkmen side was supposed to complete the work on financing TAPI back in 2016, but it failed to do so.

During a meeting between representatives of Turkmenistan and ADB in December 2020, it became known that the implementation of the project would be delayed by at least 6-9 months.

In February 2021, ADB announced that the first phase of the TAPI gas pipeline would be launched in 2021. What was meant by "first phase" is not clear.

Source: Chronicles of Turkmenistan