UN atomic energy chief impressed by Pakistan’s nuclear safety measures

KARACHI: Pakistan has often been under fire, though unwarrantedly, over nuclear safety standards and measures, but Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano appreciates the South Asian country for employing the most advanced safety features for its nuclear reactors.

The UN atomic energy chief visited the K-2 and K-3 nuclear power plants in the city on Wednesday. He later addressed the seminar on “The Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy and Pakistan”, organised by the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS) and the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs (PIIA) to highlight the importance of nuclear energy in Pakistan’s economic development.

Mr. Yukiya Amano said that Pakistan had a long history of cooperation with the IAEA, starting with the inception of the agency itself in 1957. Pakistan’s cooperation with the agency had been reciprocal, wherein the international agency had also greatly benefitted from Pakistan’s nuclear expertise and its human resources.

He further said that Pakistan had been a beneficiary of IAEA assistance and its government was fully committed to enhance its collaboration with the agency in diverse fields, ranging from nuclear power development to that of human health, agriculture and livestock.

He said that Pakistan had conceptualised and developed an intensive programme for peaceful uses of nuclear energy, which offered great opportunities. Pakistan was fully committed to IAEA’s objectives, he added.

“I am very impressed to see that Pakistan has taken all possible nuclear safety and security measures,” he said and added that the reactors had advanced safety features.

He also appreciated that Pakistan’s enhancement of crop yield in the field of agriculture.

IAEA DG mentioned that Pakistan and IAEA had a mutually beneficial and wide ranging cooperation.

Foreign Ministry Security Division Director General Dr Zafar Ali said that Pakistan was all set to be a full member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and to contribute towards achieving sustainable development goals worldwide.