News
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
More N-plants to be built to meet energy needs: PM
* Gilani says country’s nuclear capability is purely for peaceful purposes
* Pakistan believes in meaningful coexistence
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Monday that Pakistan would build more power plants to meet its growing energy needs, asserting that the country’s nuclear capability was purely for peaceful purposes.
In this respect, “Pakistan would continue to comply with the requirements of International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) nuclear safeguard agreements,” said the prime minister while addressing a conference at the National Centre of Physics.
He told the participating scientists, scholars and researchers from across the country and abroad, that Pakistan required more electrical energy and had to rely on nuclear power to meet the demand. “Building and operating nuclear power plants is vital to the country’s interests because of its severe energy deficiency.”
The premier said Pakistan believed in a meaningful coexistence and reconciliation and would always strive for development and prosperity in the region. He also lauded the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission’s (PAEC) contributions for basic and applied sciences, saying the expansion in the country’s Civil Nuclear Power Programme was commendable.
Gilani recalled inaugurating the second unit at Chashma Nuclear Power Complex (C-II) that enhanced nuclear power generation to 625MW. He said that based upon previous performance, the atomic energy commission was not only poised to achieve the 8,800MW nuclear power production by 2030. He hoped it would also look beyond 2030 to build more nuclear power plants, as directed by him following the inauguration of Chashma II.
The prime minister said the fate of countries today was determined by their economic competitiveness, and stressed the need to understand and appreciate the implications of competition in the global market-driven economy.
He said keeping in view the pivotal role of science, the government had allocated appropriate funds for the development of trained and qualified human resource. He said that support would be provided to establish research laboratories to provide employment to this trained manpower.
The government, said the premier, was fully supportive of such activities and looked forward towards active collaboration with CERN – the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, for innovative research resulting in major scientific breakthroughs.
He hoped this collaboration would provide increased opportunities for continuation of research in the country.
Acknowledging the contributions of the country’s Noble Laureate late Professor Abdus Salam, who was the founder and a passionate supporter of the International Nathiagali Summer College, Gilani said that the summer college had over the years provided great stimulus to the scientific activities in the region, particularly Pakistan. app
ourtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk