Pakistan committed to facilitate Chinese investors: BOI

A high-level Chinese delegation is on an official visit to Pakistan from tenth to fourteenth July, 2017 to debate industrial cooperation, implementation of Gwadar comes and Pakistan Railway’s up-gradation of Main Line-1 beneath China-Pakistan Economic passageway (CPEC). The delegation had conferences with Pakistan’s officers and consultants from completely different fields and mentioned progress on CPEC comes and alternative matters of mutual interest on their initial day of the visit.

 Board of investment was entrusted to prepare conferences with Chinese consultants on industrial cooperation. As per programme devised by BOI in consultation with Chinese aspect, the main target of business cooperation cluster is on the 9 prioritized Special Economic Zones set within the last JCC control in Beijing in December last year. during this context, 2 sessions were controlled these days at Serena edifice, Islamabad. The meeting was attended by acting Chinese Ambassador, Pakistan Special Envoy on CPEC, DDG, NDRC and representatives of CIECC, Tianjin, DRCI, CDB, CADZ, CCCC and power China. From Pakistani aspect, the meeting was attended by Senior officers from BOI, Planning, M/o Industries, Government of Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab, KP, FATA and Gilgit Baltistan.

 In his gap remarks, Azher Ali Choudhry, Secretary, welcome the Chinese delegation and expressed that relations between Pakistan and China area unit deep nonmoving and time tested. Over the last twenty years, the 2 countries have created a strategic shift by getting the direction of investment, and economic cooperation.
 He highlighted that for Pakistan, the event in Trade and business is that the main gain from CPEC as a drive for economic process and taking the fruits of CPEC to the lesser developed regions of Pakistan. Mr. Choudhry conjointly additional that Chinese SMEs and Startups area unit capable and keen to return in Pakistan. The scope is accessible for cooperation within the fields of engineering, automotive business, data technology, chemicals, construction materials, textiles, agro-based business, fisheries, marble, little and medium enterprises notably bungalow industries. The Govt. of Pakistan is committed to facilitating Chinese investors within their endeavors and purpose of SEZ initiative is to push industrial clusters in the country.

 The special economic zones being developed by Pakistan can attract high tech industry, manufacturing, and processing industry based on local and regional comparative advantages/ natural endowment. Pakistan side should align their industrial framework with their medium and long term development plans. The Chinese side reiterated their commitment to invest in Pakistan and to cooperate with the government of Pakistan to take forward this initiative.
 In today’s proceedings, five presentations were made which includes a presentation from Federal BOI, Government of Sindh, Government of Balochistan, National Industrial Park and FATA development authority.
BOI presented brief snapshots of actions taken by Federal & Provincial Governments to move forward the agenda of developing priority SEZs. It was highlighted that the government of Pakistan has recently devised an incentive package for these priority special economic zones to attract relocations from abroad particularly from China.
 Ms. Naheed Memon, Chairperson, Sindh Board of Investment gave a detailed presentation and stated that Sindh province is a pioneer in establishing SEZs in the country. Pakistan’s first three SEZs are located in Sindh having more than 25 enterprises. With regard to proposed DHABAJI SEZ she informed that the land has already been allocated and feasibility is being carried out by a consortium of international reputed firms. Chinese private sector and state enterprises can get the maximum benefit of this opportunity.