PESHAWAR: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development & Management Company (KP-EZDMC) Javed Iqbal Khattak has said that nine economic zones have been established while keeping in view the business potential of the respective regions.
Talking to this scribe, he said that the company is especially focusing on the development of infrastructure in special economic zones. He said the economic zones including Special Economic Zone Rashakai, Hattar, D.I. Khan beside economic zones in Bannu, Nowshera, Ghazi, Chitral and Mohmand, are not only attracting local investors rather also from Punjab and other parts of the country.
He said that Rashakai Prioritized Special Economic Zone, which is China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) related project will usher industrial revolution in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that beside domestic investors, Chinese are also making investment. He said that the People’s Republic of China has established a special company for Rashakai Special Economic Zone.
He said that due to abundance of natural resources and geographical advantage of neighborhood with export market of Afghanistan, the industrial sector of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is attracting robust investment.
He said that in the past due to lack of industrial infrastructure, investors from other parts of the country were hesitant in making investment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, he said that now the situation has totally changed as ten more economic zones have been added to its fold in different parts of the province from D.I. Khan to Chitral, which is receiving acclamation from not only across the country rather also Chinese and overseas Pakistanis.
Javed Iqbal Khattak said that industrial plots in all newly established zones have been sold it and now we are expanding them to create space to adjust more investors.
He rejected the impression that the industrial sector of KP is not attracting investment and said that more than 300 industrial units are under construction in different economic zones of the province.
He said that crucial project amongst the newly established economic zones is the Rashakai prioritized Special Economic Zone, which is being established under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and has become the only such zone that has become operational. He said that 18 companies including domestic and Chinese enterprises are establishing their industrial units in it. Furthermore, some big groups from across Pakistan are also investment in it.
Similarly, he said that another Special Economic Zone has been established on 434 acres land at Hattar (Haripur) where 7 units have already become operational, while 35 more are under construction.
He said that keeping in view the natural resources available in the province, the company has started work on establishing sector specific economic zones including one Marble City (Buner), Salt & Gypsum City (Karak) and for Marble & Granite at Mohmand. He said that these factors are negating the impression of weak industrial growth. Rather, he said that KP has edge over other provinces as the export market of Afghanistan is at its doorstep.
He said that the prospects of energy availability in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are also better than other provinces, which is highly essential for investment in industrial sector.
He invited all Pakistanis to make investment in KP by establishing industrial units here and assured the provision of all facilities including security, electricity, gas and water through one-window operation.
Regarding security in economic zones, the CEO said that the management of the zones always remain in close-coordination with security agencies wherein special police stations have been established, which is regularly patrolling while staff of the zone are extending full cooperation to them.
In this connection, he mentioned Rashakai Special Economic Zone as the best example wherein beside domestic investors from the across the country, overseas Pakistanis and friendly state People’s Republic of China are also investing.
He termed the availability of cheap and hardworking labour force another advantage of the province and said that it is economic not only than other parts of the country rather also than more most of our neighboring countries.
Furthermore, he said that in capacity of the head of the company, he assures all facilities to investors through one-window operation and for this purpose have established Investors’ Facilitation Centers (IFCs) at all economic zones of the province wherein all issues including the issuance of no objection certificates (NoCs) are issued to them.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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