ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat directed the secretary of the Board of Investment (BOI) and the Punjab government to jointly carry out a detailed survey to identify a suitable location for the Special Economic Zone (SEZ), which is least populated, with minimal impacts on local agriculture and the environment.

The committee meeting held here on Tuesday with Senator Saadia Abbasi in chair, which deliberated on the public petition regarding the establishment of a SEZ near the Hakla Interchange — a project announced by the BOI. The committee suggested that the SEZs should be set up in less-populated areas, causing minimal disturbance to built-up and fertile areas, and should be accessible and cost-effective.

The secretary of the BOI explained that SEZs are generally established in provinces and controlled by the federal government. However, the federal government has planned to create a Model Zone adjacent to Islamabad, which will serve as a guiding light for other SEZs.

Deputy Commissioner Attock stated that the local administration had three sites under consideration, but no site has been finalized yet. After detailed deliberation, the Committee directed the Secretary of BOI and the Punjab Government to jointly carry out a detailed survey to identify a suitable location for the SEZ, which is the least populated, with minimal impacts on local agriculture and the environment.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024