Pakistan and Iran are likely to sign the gas pipeline project by April 25, even if India chooses to stay away for the time being, officials said. "If India does not want to join in the agreement immediately, it can join later. We will sign it bilaterally for the time being," a senior government official told this newspaper. He said the Pakistan government wants to complete the project soon due to increasing demand for gas. A draft had also been prepared in this regard. "India can always join us. We are not excluding them. We want them to sign it with us," the official said. Petroleum ministry officials said that Sui Southern and Sui Northern gas pipeline companies have agreed on a joint venture for the construction of the project and the government has been briefed about the financial institutions, within and outside the country, ready to provide funds for project. Indian petroleum minister Murli Deora is likely to visit Islamabad this month to resolve issues regarding the $7-billion gas pipeline project, especially the issue of transit fee. However, the United States is pressing India not to enter into the deal. On Wednesday, Pakistan federal minister for petroleum and natural resources Khawaja Mohammad Asif said Pakistan was fully committed to providing transit facility to India for the IPI project adding that there should be no further delay in the realisation of the project, which will to overcome energy shortfall in both the countries. The minister was talking to high commissioner of India Satyabrata Pal during their Islamabad meet. They also discussed matters of mutual interest. They also discussed the upcoming visit of the Indian petroleum minister to Pakistan on April 21 for steering committee meeting on the TAPI and discussion on the transit fee for the IPI project. The minister said, Pakistan was interested in both the IPI and the TAPI gas pipeline projects. On Monday, President Pervez Musharraf said the IPI gas pipeline project could be transformed into an Iran-PakistanChina (IPC) gas pipeline project to overcome the energy shortage of the two countries.