MOSCOW, May 28. /TASS/. Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov and Pakistani Ambassador to Russia Shafqat Ali Khan signed a document enabling to start practical implementation of the Pakistan Stream gas pipeline construction project (earlier known as the North-South pipeline) in the near future, Russian Energy Ministry said on Friday.

"Relevant authorities of our countries completed a large amount of work on the preparation of this protocol. Its signing will enable our companies to start practical implementation of this project as soon as possible, thereby helping the Pakistani side to strengthen its energy security and increase the use of natural gas as an environmentally pure energy source," Shulginov said cited by the Ministry.

The intergovernmental agreement on construction of the North-South gas pipeline was signed in October 2015. Project implementation timeframe has been several times postponed since then.