Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Foreign Minister, has traveled to the zero point between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to review the final preparations for the practical commencement of the TAPI project. 

Zia Ahmad Takal, Deputy Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that during this visit, Amir Khan Muttaqi met with the Foreign Minister and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan to discuss the start of the TAPI pipeline project on Afghan soil, the reconstruction of the railway, electricity, and fiber optics.

Meanwhile, sources from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told TOLOnews that the practical work on the TAPI project is set to begin in Afghanistan in the coming days. 

Takal said: "He inspected the mentioned projects and monitored the preparations made for the TAPI project's inauguration ceremony at the border, emphasizing and advising officials from both sides to ensure the ceremony is conducted more effectively."

TAPI, one of the major regional projects, is 1,814 kilometers long and aims to transport approximately 33 billion cubic meters of Turkmen gas to Afghanistan and then to India and Pakistan. 

The total cost of this pipeline is around $22.5 billion, with $10 billion allocated for the section in Afghanistan. 

It will run along the Herat-Kandahar highway, pass through Quetta and Multan in Pakistan, and finally reach Fazilka city in India.

The Turkmenistan gas pipeline was inaugurated in 2018 with the presence of the leaders of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. However, the practical work on this project did not start in Afghanistan due to various reasons.

"The Islamic Emirate should make every effort to push forward this project and ensure that other issues do not cause its halt in Afghanistan, as work on this project was halted under the previous government due to reasons such as instability, insecurity, and mismanagement," said Mohammad Nabi Afghan, an economic affairs expert.

After the Islamic Emirate regained power in Afghanistan, its officials took practical steps to start the work on this major regional project and held meetings with Turkmenistan officials to commence the project's work on Afghan soil. 

The question now is, what role will the practical commencement and completion of this project play in Afghanistan's economic growth?

"If the TAPI project is properly monitored, it will create job opportunities for the people of Afghanistan and can overall contribute to the strategic and economic integration of neighboring and regional countries," said Abdul Zuhoor Mudaber, another economic affairs expert.

TAPI is not a standalone project. Other projects along the pipeline, including a 500 kV electricity transmission project between Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, which will transport electricity from Turkmenistan to Pakistan via Afghanistan, a fiber optic cable, and a railway line connecting Pakistan and Turkmenistan through Afghanistan, will also be implemented along with the TAPI project.