As per sources, Beijing was offered engineering and equipment procurement contract for the natural gas pipeline planned from Iran to Pakistan, Beijing may find attractive investment opportunities in a Pakistan struggling to meet its energy demands.

Pakistan and Iran are moving closer to finalizing plans for a natural gas pipeline from the South Pars gas complex in the Persian Gulf. The Iranians say their half of the pipeline has been completed.

According to Pakistani newspaper The Nation, a Pakistani delegation led by Federal Water and Power Minister Naveed Qamar sought investment and offered the engineering and equipment procurement contract for the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline to China,.

Recently, Islamabad invited expressions of interest for the $1.2 billion pipeline project.

India was included in the initial pipeline plans but has stayed on the sidelines in recent years. New Delhi has worked with Washington on civilian nuclear energy programs and U.S. officials have expressed their reservations over the Iranian pipeline project. Pakistan would use most of the Iranian gas for its industrial sector.