The nuclear regulatory infrastructure
has been in place since 1965, when the first research reactor PARR-I
was commissioned. The nuclear regulatory regime further improved
when the first nuclear power plant was commissioned in 1971 at Karachi
. A nuclear safety and licensing division was established in PAEC
HQ which functioned as the de facto regulatory body till it was
upgraded to " Directorate of Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection"
(DNSRP) after the promulgation of Pakistan Nuclear Safety and Radiation
Protection Ordinance 1984.
Pakistan signed the International Convention on
Nuclear Safety in 1994, as a result of which, it became obligatory
on the part of the Government of Pakistan to establish an independent
nuclear regulatory body entrusted with the implementation of the
legislative and regulatory framework governing nuclear power and
radiation use in the country, and further to separate the regulatory
functions from the promotional aspects of the nuclear programme.
As a transitory measure Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Board (PNRB),
within PAEC was established to oversee the regulatory affairs. Complete
seperation of promotion and regulatory functions and responsibilities
was acheived in 2001 , when the President of Pakistan promulgated
the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority Ordinance No.III of 2001.
Consequently, Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority
(PNRA) was created, dissolving the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Board
and Directorate of Nuclear Safety & Radiation Protection. It
established PNRA as a competent and independent body for the regulation
of nuclear safety, radiation protection, transport and waste safety
in Pakistan, and also empowered it to determine the extent of civil
liability for damage resulting from any nuclear incident.
The Authority devises, adopts, makes and enforces
such rules, regulations, orders or codes of practice for nuclear
safety and radiation protection as may, in its opinion, be necessary.
It plans, develops and executes comprehensive policies and programmes
for the protection of life, health and property against the risk
of ionizing radiation, and regulates the radiation safety aspects
of:
Exploitation of any radioactive ore; Production,
import, export, transport, possession, processing, reprocessing,
use, sale, transfer, storage or disposal of nuclear substance, radioactive
material or any other substance as the Authority may, by notification
in the official Gazette, specify; and Equipment used for production,
use or application of nuclear energy for generation of electricity;
or any other uses. CONTACTS:
Director General (C)
P.O. Box # 1912
Islamabad
Tel: 051- 9263017
Fax: 051-9263007
Email: officialmail@pnra.org
zabaig@pnra.org
Web: http://www.pnra.org
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