ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) has connected a 1,100 megawatts nuclear power plant, the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant Unit-2 (K-2), to the national grid, Pakistani media reported on Friday.
In 2013, China committed $6.5 billion to finance the construction of a major nuclear power project in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi, which would have two reactors with a capacity of 1,100 megawatts each.
“K-2 is the first Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Pakistan with a generation capacity of 1,100 MWs and its addition to the national grid will surely help improve the economy,” Pakistani newspaper The News reported. “It is one of the two similar under-construction NPPs located near Karachi and will be inaugurated for commercial operation by the end of May this year.”
The other nuclear power plant in Karachi, named K-3, is expected to be operational by the end of 2021.
K-2 is expected to “nearly double the generation capacity of nuclear power plants, substantially improving the overall share of nuclear power in the energy mix,” The News added.
The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission is running six nuclear power plants in Pakistan currently. Two are located in Karachi while four sites are at Chashma in Mianwali district in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province.
1,100 MW Karachi nuclear power plant connected to Pakistan’s national grid
https://arab.news/6cyg2
1,100 MW Karachi nuclear power plant connected to Pakistan’s national grid
- China in 2013 committed $6.5 billion to finance a major nuclear power project in the port city
- The project comprises two reactors with a capacity of 1,100 megawatts each
Pakistan bank enables Shariah-compliant digital payment facility for passengers at Islamabad airport
Pakistan bank enables Shariah-compliant digital payment facility for passengers at Islamabad airport
- Pakistan is a cash-dominated market where a significant portion of transactions in the informal sector are made without any taxes, officials say
- The move comes amid Pakistan’s efforts to introduce a cashless model at airports under which only digital service providers can provide services
KARACHI: Aik, Pakistan’s first Islamic digital bank, has enabled fully digital payments at Islamabad International Airport to offer travelers and passengers secure, Shariah compliant digital transaction facility.
The development comes amid Pakistan’s efforts to introduce a cashless model at airports across the country, under which only digital service providers can provide services to customers.
Aik, a subsidiary of Bank Islami, said it has onboarded merchants across the Islamabad airport and integrated QR code deployments at key touchpoints to allow passengers and visitors to make secure, seamless, and Shariah-compliant digital transactions at all counters, retail outlets, and service points.
It said the implementation complies with the regulations and framework set by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and is a working model for a large-scale adoption of cashless systems in public infrastructure.
“This deployment reflects our commitment to building practical digital infrastructure that improves everyday transactions,” Aik Chief Officer Ashfaque Ahmed said in a statement.
“By enabling a fully cashless environment at a major national gateway, we are supporting efficiency, transparency, and financial inclusion at scale. This is not only a project; it is a foundation for Pakistan’s cashless future.”
Pakistan is a cash-dominated market where a significant portion of transactions, particularly in the informal sector, are conducted in cash. Officials say many of these transactions are aimed at avoiding taxes.
In recent years, the SBP has taken steps to ensure a transition toward a more cashless economy so that transactions are more traceable, reducing chances of tax evasion and corruption.
By digitizing Islamabad airport, aik said it continues to invest in secure and accessible financial solutions that “expand digital participation and support national economic modernization.”
