KARACHI : Karachi was the first Pakistani city to benefit from the nuclear energy after the 100 MW from Karachi Nuclear Power Project (KANUPP) was connected to the grid on October 4, 1972. The KANUPP-2 and 3 will come online by 2020 and 2021 and will bring more energy to the metropolis.
These views were expressed by the Director General Arms and Controls and Disarmament, Brigadier Zahir ul Haider Kazmi, while delivering a keynote address during a seminar held on Monday. Rabita Forum International in collaboration with the University of Karachi arranged a seminar on peaceful uses of nuclear energy at Arts Auditorium.
“Pakistan’s nuclear energy sector has contributed to the socio-economic uplift of the county and there is ample space for growth in this industry. The nuclear energy sector is playing very important role in power generation, minerals exploration, developing high-yield stress tolerant crops, cancer treatment, designing and fabrication of industrial plants and equipment and human resource development for many years,” he maintained.
Kazmi informed the audience that even as a developing country, Pakistan is one of the countries in the world to operate a complete nuclear fuel cycle and is amongst 30 countries that have nuclear power plants in operation.
Kazmi shared that Pakistan has a remarkable experience in safe and secure operation of nuclear power plants.
“We have the expertise and the ability to supply items, goods and services for a full range of nuclear applications for peaceful uses.”
He said that Pakistan has established four agriculture centers that use energy for optimization of important crop varieties, development of better methods for conservation of inputs and products, in addition to maximum use of innovation technologies.
He added that safety and security are integral part of any nuclear program and vital for saving humans from technology and ensuring that humans do not misuse the technology.
The former chairman, Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Anwar Habib, PNRA was established under the Ordinance III of 2001 for regulation of nuclear safety and radiation protection. Pakistan has signed convention on nuclear safety in 1994 which bond states to established regulatory body separated from those involving the promotion of nuclear energy.
He observed that major accidents in nuclear industry had prominently highlighted the importance of safety culture for all type of nuclear power plants operators, vendors, regulatory bodies. PNRA has demonstrated as role model for safety culture at national and international level by adopting various precautionary measures.
Professor Dr Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, Director Politics and International Relations, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, observed that whenever there is high alert at the boarders, Pakistan used to face propaganda of being irresponsible nuclear state despite the fact that Pakistan never violated Geneva Convention and always respect all international humanitarian laws and agreements.
He observed that Pakistan’s nuclear program is much better than its neighboring country. The nuclear energy could be used for benefits of civilians or to gain military power. Pakistan always gives priority to peaceful use of nuclear energy over race to nuclear weapons.
Dr Jaspal shared that Japan’s progress in nuclear energy sector is quite oblivious and its intentions are clear that it want to boost the industry and economy by advancing in nuclear energy sector.
Karachi University Vice Chancellor Khalid Iraqi, the Chairman Rabita Forum International Nusrat Mirza and Dr Shahid Riaz Khan, Director Scientific Information and Public Relation also spoke on this occasion.
