ISLAMABAD, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) — Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will visit Turkmenistan on Saturday to participate in the groundbreaking ceremony of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) Gas Pipeline Project, officials said on Friday.

The long-awaited nearly 10-billion-U.S. dollar pipeline will supply gas to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. The approximately 1,600-km-long pipeline is likely to be completed by December 2018.

“The Prime Minister’s visit would highlight the importance that Pakistan attaches to the TAPI Gas Pipeline Project and our commitment to its early completion,” the Foreign Ministry said.

Pakistan will be able to import 1,325 million cubic feet per day natural gas from Turkmenistan. Thus, this project will help mitigate energy deficit in Pakistan, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov had invited Sharif to attend the ceremony.

The presidents of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan and vice president of India will also attend the ceremony.

In October the shareholders of TAPI Pipeline Company Limited agreed on their respective shareholding percentages and initialed the Shareholders Agreement.

TAPI Company Limited will build, finance, own and operate the planned TAPI natural gas pipeline, according to the Asian Development Bank.

The TAPI Steering Committee was attended by petroleum ministers of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, and senior officials of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on Oct. 24.

Sharif will attend an international conference in Ashgabat to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s Permanent Neutrality. A number of heads of state or government have confirmed to attend the conference.

In his bilateral interactions with the Turkmen President, the Prime Minister will share Pakistan’s perspective on important developments impinging on peace and security in the region, the Foreign Ministry said

“The Prime Minister will also reiterate Pakistan’s keen desire to sustain and expand bilateral cooperation with Turkmenistan in trade, energy and defence.”

The ADB said the TAPI pipeline, once completed, is expected to export up to 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India over 30 years.

Turkmenistan has one of the world’s largest proven gas reserves and the pipeline will allow it to diversify its gas export markets.