LAHORE: Canada is willing to assist Pakistan in setting up a nuclear reactor in the East Wing also.

This was stated by the Canadian Industry Minister, Mr C.M. Drury, during his talk to newsmen on his arrival here on a brief visit [April 11].

Canada would consider any request for assistance from Pakistan but that would depend on the ceiling of the foreign aid programme of his Government and priorities with regard to projects to be fixed by the Pakistan Government, he added.

Canada is already financing the Karachi nuclear power project.

He said the Pakistan Government had not yet made any request for assistance for another nuclear plant in the country.

Mr Drury, who was accompanied by his wife, was received by the Provincial Minister for Food and Agriculture, Malik Khuda Bakhsh, Begum G.A. Khan, MNA, and senior officials.

Replying to a question, the Canadian Minister said his country was assisting the laying of a big power transmission line system in East Pakistan.

Asked whether he was satisfied with utilisation of Canadian assistance by Pakistan, Mr Drury said he only visited the Karachi nuclear power plant which would produce 237 M.G.W. of electricity.

That project seemed to be going on very well.

`Our assistance is mostly on the technological side. The equipment being provided by us was being effectively used,` he added.

He said Canada had taken firm guarantee from India that the nuclear plants being set up there with Canadian assistance would be exclusively used for peaceful purposes. The Chairman of Canadian Atomic Energy Control Board had already visited India in this regard.-Agencies