IN a significant development, Pakistan and the global nuclear watch-dog – the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) – on Wednesday signed a safeguard agreement for the 1200-MW Chashma-5 nuclear power plant to give a boost to the country’s energy security and transparent operation of the plant as per international non-proliferation standards. The agreement marks a critical step toward implementing safeguards for the new facility and reflects the international community’s continued confidence in Pakistan’s commitment to the peaceful use of nuclear energy and its adherence to global non-proliferation obligations.
Venomous propaganda by vested interests notwithstanding, the fact remains Pakistan proved a responsible state from the very beginning and contributed significantly to non-proliferation goals of the world community. The country proved its commitment to the objectives of non-proliferation by repeatedly making different proposals aimed at keeping South Asia free of nuclear weapons. These suggestions, made from time to time, could not materialize solely because of the non-cooperative attitude of India, which pursued an aggressive nuclear weapons programme throughout, creating existential threats for Pakistan and forcing it to take measures to counter the threat. It is also a reality that India produced the fissile material for its first nuclear test (“Smiling Buddha” in 1974) using plutonium extracted from spent fuel irradiated in the CIRUS reactor, a 40-megawatt research reactor supplied by Canada with heavy water provided by the United States. Strangely enough, Indian provocative move was prized by Canada by suspending fuel and spares for Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP), which was under IAEA safeguards and there was no report of any deviation or violation by the country. Similarly, Pakistan has a substantive nuclear power programme and all the relevant plants and projects are under relevant safeguards. It is also known to all that Pakistan has been a founding member of the IAEA since 1957, maintaining an extensive partnership focused on the peaceful applications of nuclear technology. This cooperation and Pakistan’s commitment to the goal of non-proliferation has repeatedly been acknowledged by the IAEA and its leadership. This aspect was particularly underlined during the visit to Pakistan of IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi in February 2023 when he visited numerous nuclear facilities across the country and expressed satisfaction over the cooperative framework. He also held extensive talks with senior Pakistani officials and met with the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister where an understanding was reached to increase collaboration in peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology, particularly in agriculture and medicine, to the benefit of the country and its neighbours. Mr Grossi also visited the Pakistan Centre of Excellence in Nuclear Security (PCENS), saying he was impressed by the high standard of the facility and that he looked forward to further collaboration. Pakistan currently operates six nuclear power reactors at two sites that generate about 10 per cent of the country’s total and almost a quarter of its low-carbon electricity. However, there has never been any complaint about security and safety measures that Pakistan has committed to undertake for their smooth operation. The safeguard agreement for Chashma-5, which is set to become the largest nuclear power plant of the country on its expected commissioning in 2028, is yet another manifestation of the country’s commitment to forge its relationship with the IAEA. On this occasion, one must appreciate the hard work and dedication of the leadership and scientists, engineers and technicians of the Atomic Energy Commission that safely and successfully operate all their nuclear power plants. We have been emphasizing in these columns that PAEC is, perhaps, the only organization that is delivering as far as the goal of increasing nuclear energy’s share in the national energy mix. Our engineers, scientists and technicians must be incentivized to keep up the momentum to uphold nuclear deterrence and contribute towards efforts to ensure energy security.
