Locally produced goods: free trade zone facilities to be offered, says Zardari

President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday said Pakistan would offer free trade zone facilities for locally produced goods for export to the regional markets and a one-window facility for the investors in Pakistan.
Speaking at a dinner hosted in honour of LCCI here at here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the President said Pakistan would provide a tax-free regime to goods produced in Pakistan for export to the regional markets and added that such trade free zones will also have dedicated power facilities.
He said the one-window facility would also overcome bureaucratic delays and help those who wish to invest in the country. "We also have adopted a policy of public-private partnership and offer same incentives and facilities to local and foreign entrepreneurs," he added. The President said Pakistan's ports were closer to some markets in China and India from even those countries' own ports. He said the country has a strategic location that enables it to serve the market of over two billion people in China, India and Central Asia.
"Our armed forces, police, para-military forces and the citizens have made huge sacrifices," the President said and added "We salute their heroism and courage." "The war against militancy has cost us over 35 billion dollars that is why the government had to curtail its Public Sector Development Programme," he maintained.
He said the cut in the development programme and infrastructure projects has put great pressure on the business community and their input costs have increased substantially. He said the principal reason for decline in export earnings was due to the country increasingly becoming non-competitive, adding that due to on-going fight against militants, international buyers, entrepreneurs and technicians were shying away from coming to Pakistan.
He said though the international freight charges have gone down but Pakistan freight forwarders charge higher overheads due to risk of terror attacks and the shipping companies have introduced a war risk surcharge, to cover the high insurance cost.
He said in crease in the level of poverty has implications both on Pakistan and the international community and that is why Pakistan has been asking for greater market access. He said Pakistan immediately needs aid and pointed that consequences of delaying it would be serious. "We want trade, not aid," he said, adding that aid was welcome but trade was more sustainable as it helps integrate people and cultures across borders.
He said it was time for the international community to think of ways to compensate the countries most adversely impacted by the war on terror by making some allowance to them for market access. The President also noted with satisfaction that the President Lahore Chamber of Commerce was holding Ambassadors Conference in Gilgit-Baltistan in May this year to highlight the business and investment potential of that area.
"With the political reforms recently announced in Gilgit-Baltistan I am confident that this potential will increase manifold. I am also pleased that a fashion show has been planned to be held in Paris," he added. He said the fashion show will not only help project Pakistan's textile and garments industry but also promote the soft image of the country and the Government will extend full support in this regard.
The President complimented the LCCI and its President Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry for the initiative to bring the business community together and said the practice would continue. The dinner was attended by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi and members of the business community and ambassadors.-PR