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China's co-operation in peaceful uses of N. Tech. helps Pakistan develop N. power: Dr. Ishfaq

ISLAMABAD, May 29 (APP): Pak-China cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear technology has helped Pakistan develop nuclear power plant at Chashma which will be connected to WAPDA grid within next few days. Chairman Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission Dr. Ishfaq Ahmed said while addressing the second anniversary celebrations of ,"Yaume-e-Takbeer," here Sunday. "We need to build many additional plants to meet future electricity needs in the country. With the experience of Chasnupp, Pakistan has gained a very valuable technical know-how for design and construction of nuclear power plants. This experience will certainly enhance local participation in future plants," he said. The 2nd nuclear power plant at Chashma, could only be started after 21 years with the help of China. " This plant has now become critical and Insha-Allah will be connected to WAPDA grid within the next few days", he said. Dr. Ishfaq said, nuclear power is a reliable, economical and clean source of electricity, notwithstanding the ill-informed and misleading apprehensions expressed by a few pseudo-intellectuals. He said on the historic day of May 28 Pakistani nuclear scientists had made the defence of the country impregnable. The entire nation takes great pride in the outstanding achievement of its nuclear scientists. Pakistan has become world's seventh nuclear power but its socio-economic indicators are appalling. It ranks at 138th position in the world in terms of human development index. PAEC is also making a large contribution to other sectors of the national economy. Agriculture sector is of crucial importance for Pakistan's economy as it generates about a quarter of the Gross National Product. Some 70% of its exports are agriculture based. The PAEC has developed a number of high-yielding, disease-resistant varieties of cotton, wheat, mung and chickpea. These have been evolved at its research centres at Faisalabad, Tandojam and Peshawar by radiation-induced mutations. He said these varieties are now being cultivated on a large scale in the country. Cotton is the most important cash crop in Pakistan. Up-till mid-1970s the average yield was 275 kg/hectare. PAEC developed a radiation-induced variety called NIAB-78, which has high yield and matures early.

This resulted in increase of cotton yield to nearly 600 kg/hectare. A new cotton variety, NIAB-Krishma, introduced in 96, is fast replacing NIAB-78 and is now being sown on 40% of the area in Punjab, while NIAB-78 is still performing well in Sindh. The wheat varieties evolved by our Sindh and NWFP Agriculture Centres, cover nearly 50% of the area in the two provinces. Similarly, NIAB also led to the release of CM-72 the first high yielding variety of chickpea. Current NIAB chickpea varieties cover nearly 30% of the total chickpea area in Pakistan. Pakistan is now the 3rd largest producer of chickpea in the world, he said. On oil seed, he said PAEC had evolved canola rape-seed variety, Abaseen-95, with high yield and high content of good quality oil, which was released recently. This variety is suitable for cultivation in barani, as well as, irrigated areas. It is already being cultivated as one of the main crops in Mardan, Charsadda, Bajore Agency and Northern areas. Another variety of canola mustard is due for release during the year 2001 Insha Allah. He said the economic return from PAEC's agricultural research in the mutation breeding area alone has paid back the entire amount spent on Pakistan's nuclear programme. PAEC is now in a position to offer a biofertilizer under the trade name "Bio Power", which has exceptional nitrogen-fixing capability in some crops, is considerably cheaper then chemical fertilizers and is also environment friendly. It has also developed technology for food preservation through irradiation, which can extend shelf-life of agricultural products, substantially cutting the losses due to spoilage. It is looking forward to local entrepreneurs to commercialize these technologies.