Islamabad says it will ask Tehran to increase Pakistan's gas supply by 50 percent if India stays away from the peace pipeline project.

The decision was made by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet at a Tuesday meeting, Dawn news network reported.

The ECC will hand a formal proposal to Iran to ask for an additional volume of 1.05 bcfd (billion cubic feet of gas per day), in case India does not join the project, said the statement released after the meeting.

Originally, Pakistan was to receive 2.1 bcfd from the 2600-km Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline project and India was to receive 3.2 bcfd.

The pipeline length will come down to about 1600-km, if India decides to stay out of the deal.

Pakistan aims to increase its gas imports to make up for the country's increasing gas demand and energy crisis.

JR/HGH/MMN