Nuclear power programme of Pakistan.

Nuclear power programme of Pakistan.
After a short while of Pakistan's establishment,it decided to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.For this purpose, in 1956,Pakistan Atomic Energy Research Council came into being.
During 1964-65 and 1973, it was reorganised and through an act autonomous status was given to Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission.
In 1972, the commission was transferred from ministry of science and technology to President Secretariat.Now Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission is the most dynamic institute of the country in science and technology.In 1965 an institute namely Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology(PINSTECH) was established for the achievement of national industrial and scientific infrastructure as well as to make up the deficiency of properly trained manpower.
This institute facilitates research in nuclear science in order to bring our country among developed countries.In this institute,special nuclear materials and highly sophisticated instruments are made on limited scale.In order to make up the requirements of fields of medicine,agriculture and industry,radio isotopes and radio pharmaceuticals are prepared.This institute also provides technical support to industries as well as other institutes.In PINSTECH, there are also two research reactors namely PARR-1 and PARR-2 whose production is 10 megawatt and 27 kilowatt respectively.
Pakistan is one of the few countries of Islamic world,which are using nuclear energy for the production of electricity.For the achievement of this purpose,first nuclear power plant was established in Karachi in collaboration with Canada in 1972whose name is Karachi Nuclear Power Plant(KANUPP).Its total production capacity is 137 megawatt.In this plant recycled Uranium is utilized as fuel.In 1992, in collaboration with China, another nuclear plant called Chashma Nuclear Power Plant(CHASNUPP) was established on river Indus near Mianwali.Its total production capacity is 300 megawatt.Also in this plant Uranium is used as fuel.Nuclear energy is playing a vital role in fulfilling the over increasing demand of electricity of the country.It does not damage atmosphere too.
Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission keeping in view the national  demands lays stress on importance of the achievement of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.For this purpose,research institutes have been eastablished across the country in agriculture,industry,biotechnology and other scientific disciplines,which are playing a dynamic role in the national development.
In the field of agriculture,by using nuclear technology, such agriculture species have been prepared whose productions comparatively more and which can fight the different diseases more effectively.In Nuclear Institute of Food and Agriculture(NIFA), a research work is carried on for exploring the diseases of crops and their remedy.In this institute the work  is also conducted for the preservation of food for a long time.
In the field of medicine  the use of nuclear radiations is increasing day by day.In the centres of nuclear medicines working under Atomic Energy Commission in Pakistan, through nuclear radiations the facility of diagnosing and treatment  of several other diseases,apart from blood cancer and cancer of different organs is also available.In the field of industry,faults are explored in the material through different methods without breaking them.
In 1995,Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission realizing the need and utility of welding in power generation boilers,thermal and nuclear power plants,chemical,petroleum and ship making of the country,established Pakistan Welding Institute(PWI) whose purpose was to provide the facility of high quality welding to the industries.In nutshell,the scientists and engineers of Pakistan have made marvellous achievements in the field of atomic energy despite of limited resources.There is bright hope that Atomic Energy Commission will play an important role in the national economic development.