Achieving Socio-Economic Development through Peaceful Use of Nuclear Technology – OpEd – Eurasia Review

The civil nuclear program comprised most of the Pakistani nuclear program. Pakistan has always been aware of the use and benefits of nuclear technology in the civil sector. The use of nuclear technology for civil purposes includes use in medicine, energetic use, agriculture or dealing with climate change. It contributes in many ways to the well-being of the people and ultimately to the achievement of the goals of sustainable development.

The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) was established in 1956 with the main aim of promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy in various civil sectors of Pakistan. In the 1970s, PAEC built the first nuclear power plant in Karachi, named KANNUP, with a generation capacity of 135 MWe; it was also the first nuclear power plant in the underdeveloped world or in the developing world. This was followed by KANNU-II and KANNUP-III in addition to the four nuclear power plants Chashma-CHASNUPP-I, CHASNUPP-II, CHASNUPP-III and CHASNUPP-IV. More power plants in Chashma and Muzaffargarh are to be built by PAEC. The Pakistani Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) has stepped up efforts to meet the nuclear power generation target of 8,800 MW by 2030. It is part of the comprehensive energy security plan formulated in 2005, and the completion of the K-2 / K-3 project will bring the PAEC closer to this goal.

One of the main reasons for Pakistan’s increasing reliance on nuclear energy appears to be deteriorating climatic conditions. Nuclear energy is within the means, clean and environmentally friendly, making it the best alternative for Pakistan’s energy needs.

In the field of agriculture, Pakistan has made remarkable advances using nuclear energy and working intensively on biotechnology. PAEC works efficiently on the use of nuclear technology in the agricultural sector by introducing a variety of pest control technologies and plant nutrition. Numerous institutes of PAEC have been developed in collaboration with the IAEA, including the National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology (NIAB), Nuclear Institute for Agriculture (NIA), Nuclear Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) ; These institutes work continuously to increase the productivity of the agricultural sector in Pakistan. PAEC and its agricultural center also organize “Farmer’s Days” to raise awareness among farmers, educate them about the effectiveness of newly developed plant varieties and how growing these crops can benefit them and their land.

However, this is not the only focus of the PAEC; it also works in the field of nuclear and chemical sciences with a special focus on their application to the peaceful uses of nuclear technology. The main research and development institute of PAEC is PINSTECH, which ensures balanced research in the field of peaceful uses of nuclear technology to facilitate the needs of the future. Over time, PINSTECH has contributed in various dimensions to the peaceful use of nuclear technology in Pakistan to support the national interests of Pakistan and the socio-economic development of the country. The Pakistan Research Reactor – I (PARR-I) is a 10 MW swimming pool research reactor, the Pakistan Research Reactor – II (PARR-II) is a 27 KW tank-in-pool research reactor that has promoted a higher grade of independence.

Pakistan has over 40 years of operating nuclear power plants without a single nuclear safety incident. The IAEA and other global nuclear watchdogs have praised Pakistan’s commitment to the safety of its nuclear power plants on several occasions. Pakistan recently presented its achievements in the peaceful uses of nuclear technology to the international community for the first time at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna. The exhibition shows Pakistan’s achievements in the peaceful aspects of nuclear technology in various fields such as health, power generation, industry, agriculture and environmental protection. Pakistan’s remarkable track record in the safety task of its nuclear energy program is a clear picture of its national steadfastness and promise to effectively implement stringent policies and global standards. The only thing preventing Pakistan from making any significant international contribution to peaceful nuclear cooperation is the double standards of various international nuclear cartels. Such a policy must be changed so that countries like Pakistan can realize their full potential not only for the advancement of their people in various aspects, but for all of humanity and nature.

*Amber Afreen Abid, Research Associate, Strategic Vision Institute (SVI), Islamabad.