FAISALABAD: Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) will play its proactive role to make second phase China Pakistan Economic corridor (CPEC) a total success, said Atif Munir Sheikh President FCCI. He was talking to the business community after attending a "Regional Dialogue on the Role of Parliament in Enhancing Investments, Trade and Industrial Development under CPEC Punjab". This event was organized by Sher Ali Arbab Chairman Parliamentary Committee on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

During this meeting Atif Munir Sheikh also had a meeting with Punjab Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht and appreciated the efforts of Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar for the success of CPEC in Punjab.

President FCCI said that although the Government and parliamentarians are already making best efforts for the success of CPEC. But the involvement of the business community is prerequisite and in this connection, FCCI was making all out efforts to highlight the importance of CPEC for the overall growth of our economy. He said that the R & D department of the FCCI had published books on the "Potential and Opportunities of CPEC. "It has also chalked out a comprehensive program to send trade delegations to different potential markets and convince the investors to participate in this mega project and earn a reasonable dividend for their investment", he added.

Atif Munir Sheikh said that Pakistan and China have enjoyed cordial relations for a long time but CPEC is an attempt to translate these relations into economic terms. He said that in the first phase, China had made heavy investment in road infrastructure in addition to establishing new power houses to overcome the shortage of electricity. He said that in the second phase, innovative steps are being taken to relocate Chinese industries to Pakistan in addition to launching joint ventures. He said that the problems in this phase are being redressed in consultation with all stakeholders. He mentioned state-of-the-art industrial estates developed in Faisalabad by FIEDMC and said that it is the most suitable place for investment by the foreign investors.

He also appreciated the efforts of Dr. Urfa Iqbal CEO Punjab Board of Investment and Trade (PBIT) and said that she was making concerted efforts to attract maximum Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Faisalabad is the first choice for the intending investors. He said that FCCI will fully cooperate with her in this national task.

Atif Munir also welcomed the message of the Chinese ambassador and said that we must take concrete steps to promote tourism by establishing joint working groups for this sector.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021