Beijing: China has supported its `all
weather` ally Pakistan`s right to use nuclear energy for
"peaceful purposes" to overcome its crippling power shortage,
a spokesman of President Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday.
"We would appeal the world community to understand
Pakistan`s requirements in this regard," Farhatullah Babar
quoted Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi as saying, when
the Pakistani President met him last night.
Pakistan has the right to nuclear energy to overcome
its power shortage and utilise it for "peaceful purposes",
Yang said, the official APP news agency reported today.
China is already assisting Pakistan in producing
nuclear energy. However, Islamabad`s attempt to seek nuclear
know-how from the US has not been successful.
Babar said Zardari is visiting China for the fourth
time since September to study the China model of development.
Pakistan faces a crippling energy crisis, as it is
only able to produce about 80 percent of the electricity it
needs, causing blackouts and hurting its industries.
During Zardari`s ongoing visit, Pakistan and China
have signed an agreement for the construction of a hydro power
station at Bunji in Northern Areas on Build, Operate and
Transfer (BOT) basis.
The dam is estimated to cost around USD 7 billion and
will have a capacity to generate 7,000 megawatts of
electricity.
Bureau Report
