Nuclear power potential should be used for industrialisation rather than weaponisation. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Nuclear power potential should be used for industrialisation rather than weaponisation.
This was among the suggestions speakers made at a national conference on “Prospects of Nuclear Energy in Pakistan:Vision 2025” organised by the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI) University here on Tuesday.
“I invite the international community to invest in the nuclear power plants in Pakistan. It is a reliable and cheap investment, and a source of energy”, said former Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) chairman Dr Pervez Butt. He said foreign investors should be involved in the nuclear power sector to generate cheap power. “Rest assured that investment in the nuclear power sector will be safe and in line with international standards,” said Dr Butt. He said that if the potential of nuclear power is harnessed, not only could the energy crisis be ended, but numerous employment opportunities will also be created.
“One of the reasons for the unrest and terrorism in Pakistan is the high rate of unemployment. This could be addressed through foreign investment and it is also in the interest of the international community,” said the scientist. “We have to ask the West to come to Pakistan and invest in nuclear power plants,” he maintained.
He further commented that the Pakistan’s nuclear assets are more secure than India because the PAEC is an independent authority. He suggested that Pakistan should focus on nuclear potential for industrialisation.
SASSI University Director General Dr Maria Sultan highlighted the fact that despite the ongoing energy crisis, Pakistan has the capability to overcome the crunch, by utilising the potential of nuclear energy. “Pakistan envisions a bright future pertaining to the nuclear capabilities it possesses”, she said and pointed out that Pakistan’s nuclear power plants have been a success because of their “completely safe and secure operations”.
Later, PAEC Chairman Dr Ansar Parvez gave a special address on the designs of K-II and K-III — which are being added to the existing Karachi Nuclear Power Plant — and the nuclear power industry in general. He answered some questions being raised about the safety and security of Pakistan’s nuclear power industry. He argued that no incident has taken place in Pakistan’s history to justify such questions, but because of lack of knowledge among the masses about how nuclear plants work, such questions continue to be raised.
He also said that by understanding how nuclear power plants work through the design structure and other working mechanisms, people can understand that it will not be hazardous for the environment or the people, but only be beneficial for overcoming the prevailing energy crisis.
Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) Disarmament Director Shaukat Hassan presented his thoughts regarding Pakistan’s peaceful nuclear program.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 13th, 2014.
COMMENTS (10)
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Pakistan over the years have ensured the security and progress of its nuclear program in all science fields, it has invested the nuclear technology agriculture, medical and energy production. Energy production from nuclear technology is certainly more efficient and affordable than other energy sources. Once Pakistan be able to meet its electricity requirement, it will be beneficial to increase trade, industries and economy. Ultimately leading towards social and infrastructure development, it will open new opportunities of employment. It is a good initiative taken by the SASSI University that can provide a platform to review the Prospects of nuclear energy in Pakistan.
ET should write an article discussing the history and performance of the existing nuclear power plants - might shed a different light on this issue as some of your reactors are chronically shut down and arguably should have been dismantled years ago but you don't have the money or technical know how to decommission a plant. Nuclear power isn't cheap when you factor in cost such as waste disposal and decommissioning - those are conveniently ignored.
Pakistan should use nuclear power for both industrialization and weaponization.
Civil nuclear cooperation between China and Pakistan is solely for making Pakistan to overcome its energy crises. Pakistan is a state which is responsible nuclear power and holds an experience of 41 years in operating nuclear power plants. These plants are being constructed after site evaluation, population and environmental assessment. Construction of nuclear power plants will help country to come out of the dark and also for the development of the country.
How unfortunate it is as the nuclear deal between Pakistan and China is first of all truly for civilian development projects and there is no way that it is going to create hurdles for the non-proliferation regimes or bending their rules. All States have the right, in accordance with the principle of sovereign equality, to develop their programme for the peaceful use of nuclear technology for economic and social development, in conformity with their priorities, interests and needs. It is well known that the origin of “the peaceful use of nuclear energy” was part of “Atoms for Peace,” a policy that U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower launched at the U.N. General Assembly in December 1953.
The ongoing nuclear debates in Pakistan in the backdrops of Karachi Nuclear Power Plants are instrumental in dissolving many myths about nuclear. They actually unknot nuclear mystery with objectivity and answered with logics about all the queries. Pakistan is adapting this world wide nuclear energy trend in order to get rid of energy crisis which is actually dismantled the socio economic structure of the country. Power inefficiency is much pronounced phenomenon which affected the economics very badly. Nuclear energy has efficient credentials to give a boost to lingering economy.
Every object has dual faces and this is aptly well stated with nuclear also. In post 1945, it was trend to get into nuclear weapons and today we are more concerned to generate energy for civilian purposes from nuclear. This is a global trend to foresee nuclear for energy generation in the backdrop of depleting fossil fuels, alternatives and renewable energy sources. It is also a post-cold war trend to get economic supremacy despite of war issues. This is very much what Pakistan is doing to end its intrastate energy crisis by utilizing nuclear capability.
This is really strange that we are living in 2014 but stuck in the very first nuclear explosions in 1945 on Japanese cities. As such we inherited a traditional nuclear fear from the past. Despite of this, world has not stopped working with nuclear after witnessing the horrors made by nuclear. States move speedier to acquire nuclear as soon as possible. The nuclear deterrence has been established in 1998 and now we are looking forward on nuclear for civilian peaceful energy generation usage for the country.
The recent Nuclear Agreement between Pakistan and China is according to IAEA standards. The agreement has civilian purposes behind it. Pakistan is energy starving nation with weak economy. The only quick and possible solution for growing energy demand is nuclear energy which is cheap and reliable.
Recently Pakistan is going through a energy turmoil and is looking forward for western help and investment in the nuclear power plants sector. In this scenario of energy crisis China the "all weather" friend of Pakistan came forward and invested in Pakistan's nuclear power plants sector. Chinese investment is majorly because of the reason that it knows Pakistan is very much well versed in operating power plants and has a vast experience of 40 years. Also it is also a responsible country who can responsibly handle the operation of power plants. GOP and people of Pakistan must appreciate the initiative and welcome it so that to make our country get rid of energy shortage and also to make it a developed and prosper one.