Islamabad, August 10: Pakistan is making serious efforts to conclude a civil nuclear accord with the United States to overcome its crippling energy crisis, a top government official said today. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a seminar organised by Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Sardar Asif Ahmad Ali said Pakistan was “struggling” for a civil nuclear pact with the US. The government”s efforts in this regard are aimed at overcoming the country”s crippling energy crisis, he said.
Ali denied reports that Pakistan has signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty ahead of holding negotiations with the US on this issue. Pakistan has been insisting that it should be offered a pact on the lines of the landmark civil nuclear deal concluded by India and the US. Washington, however, has made it clear that it has no plans to finalise a civil nuclear agreement with Islamabad.
Ali said China is the only atomic power that is cooperating with Pakistan in the civil nuclear sector. Therefore Pakistan is making efforts to generate energy from sources like coal, solar power, wind and alternative means.
He said the Chashma-II atomic power plant will start working by 2011. The plant will produce 300 MW of power, he added.
—PTI–