Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, has pledged to plug the hole in Pakistan’s gas supply via the long-awaited Iran-Pakistan pipeline, however, concerns emerged that neither Pakistan nor Iran were ready to fulfill the roles to implement the pipeline project, InterfaxEnergy informed.

A former Pakistani government official, Shahid Sattar, from Pakistan’s Planning Commission, described Rouhani’s words as “a political statement” and has cautioned that Islamabad was not to get its hopes up.

“Pakistan is not ready with the infrastructure and, as a result of international sanctions on Iran, there has been no serious drilling there either,” said Sattar.

Nonetheless, Consul General of Iran in Pakistan, Muhmmad Bani Asadi, said that the government of the Islamic Republic will review its trade policies for Pakistan, for consolidating and strengthening the bilateral economic ties, The Nation reported.

Asadi added that Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline is one of Iranian government’s top priorities and Pakistan government should also positively work to resolve issues associated with subject matter.