Pakistan has begun construction of its seventh commercial nuclear power plant, the China supplied Chasnupp-5 (also known as Chasma-5).
Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and senior Chinese officials attended a televised groundbreaking ceremony for the plant in the central city of Chashma on Friday (14 July).
Press reports said the new plant is estimated to cost at least $3.5bn (€3.1bn).
The plant will become the third in Pakistan to use China’s domestically developed Generation III pressurised water nuclear technology, the Hualong One or HPR1000.