Pakistan has used nuclear technology as deterrent: Qamar
14 July, 2012
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has effectively used its nuclear power as a deterrent besides using the technology for civilian purposes, Federal Defence Minister Syed Naveed Qamar said on Friday. Addressing the concluding session of a two-day national conference on the 'Applications of Nuclear Science and Technology', organised by the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI), he said as long as an arms race is imposed on Pakistan, national security would remain the country's foremost priority. He added that discriminatory policies of the international community would lead to a strategic imbalance in the region, therefore, India must not be given undue and unjustified preferences over Pakistan. Addressing the conference, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Sumsam Bukhari stated while "at the international level we are referred to as terrorists, the facts remains that we are the victims of terrorism". Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) Chairman Dr Ansar Parvez said the commission was striving for the use of nuclear science and technology for the socio-economic development of the country. Saeed Alam Siddique, member power PAEC, said that the commission was running three nuclear power reactors which would contribute 8,800MW to energy grid by 2030. Muhammad Naeem, member fuel cycle PAEC, said the commission had a very effective role in agriculture, such as in the development of new crop varieties with a higher productive yield. End.
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