'China has backed Pak's right to nuclear energy'

Islamabad, Aug 26: China has backed Pakistan's right to nuclear energy to overcome the huge energy crisis facing the country currently, Presidential spokesperson Farhatullah Babar has said.

Babar said during his meeting President Asif Ali Zardari, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi highlighted that Pakistan needed nuclear energy to address its increasing energy needs.

"We would appeal to the world community to understand Pakistan's requirements in this regard," Babar quoted Jiechi as saying.

Babar said several memoranda of understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the fields of education, fisheries, agriculture, dams and investment have been signed between Pakistan and China during Zardari's Beijing visit.

Babar said the highlight of Zardari's visit was signing of an agreement regarding the construction of a hydro power plant at Bunji in the Northern Areas.

He said the project is based on 'Built, Operate and Transfer' (BOT) strategy, according to which all investment would be made by China.

Once completed, the project will generate 7,000 megawatts of electricity, The Daily Times reports.

ANI