Vienna: Pakistan has signed a landmark agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to strengthen cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear technology aimed at promoting socio-economic development. The pact, covering the years 2026 to 2031, marks a significant step forward in Pakistan’s commitment to leveraging nuclear science for the well-being of its people.
According to the spokesperson of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), the agreement was signed in Vienna by Raja Ali Raza Anwar, Chairman PAEC, and by the IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Technical Cooperation on behalf of the agency.
The framework agreement envisions collaboration across multiple fields, particularly in nuclear energy, radiation safety, and nuclear security, with a direct focus on societal benefits. The cooperation will be structured around three cycles of technical assistance, encompassing five key areas of development.
Under this pact, nuclear technology will be applied to a wide range of socio-economic sectors, including:
- Food and Agriculture: improving crop yields, enhancing food preservation techniques, and combating agricultural pests through nuclear applications.
- Human Health and Nutrition: expanding the use of nuclear medicine for cancer detection and treatment, strengthening diagnostic services, and addressing nutritional deficiencies.
- Environmental Protection and Climate Change: monitoring environmental pollutants, studying climate impacts, and developing nuclear-based solutions to mitigate climate challenges.
- Water Resource Management: using isotopic techniques to evaluate groundwater resources, improve irrigation efficiency, and ensure sustainable water use.
- Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection: advancing training, standards, and monitoring to ensure safe application of nuclear technologies.
The PAEC spokesperson emphasized that the agreement reflects Pakistan’s longstanding partnership with the IAEA and its active participation in the agency’s technical cooperation programs. He noted that Pakistan has, for decades, effectively applied nuclear science in agriculture, health, and industry, and this framework will further scale up those efforts to meet the country’s developmental priorities.
Experts believe this cooperation will also assist Pakistan in coping with pressing challenges such as food insecurity, public health concerns, and the impacts of climate change, while simultaneously reinforcing safety measures in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
The signing of this agreement underscores Pakistan’s dual focus on maintaining strong commitments to international nuclear safety standards and maximizing the peaceful benefits of nuclear technology. It also signals the IAEA’s confidence in Pakistan’s technical capabilities and its role as an active contributor to the global nuclear community.
