Shenzen Industrial Zone (Guangdong) China and M-3 Industrial Estate Faisalabad are going to be declared as 'sisters industrial estates.' Federal Minister for Planning and Development Professor Ahsan Iqbal will announce this when he will visit Faisalabad in March. Iqbal will have detailed discussion on the fruits of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Faisalabad.
Federal Minister shared this news with a delegation of Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) that called on him at his office. He discussed the role of Faisalabad in achieving the objectives of Vision-2025. The delegation led by Chaudhary Muhammad Nawaz, President FCCI comprised of senior vice president Syed Zia Alamdar Hussain, former president (Engineer) Suhail Bin Rashid, Rana Akhlaq Ahmad, Sanaullah Khan Niazi and Mian Muhammad Idrees.
The Planning Minister termed the CPEC as game changer for the entire region and said that the Government focused to link it with the under-developed areas of Pakistan so that the residents of lagged-behind areas could also reap its benefits. "This project will be completed in many years. Demanded industrial zones along it will also be established but in phases," he said adding that the industrial zones will be the catalyst for industrial progress and also create new job opportunities for the skilled and unskilled workers.
He also appreciated the proposal of declaring M-3 Industrial Estate as Special Economic Zone and said that it would also help in achieving the objective of Vision 2025. He said he had directed his Ministry to regularly arrange his meetings with the business community and he was having weekly meetings with one selected Chamber of Pakistan.
Earlier, Chaudhary Muhammad Nawaz President FCCI told him that the business community fully supported this gigantic project which would make the region hub of economic and industrial activities in the coming years. SVP Syed Zia Alamdar Hussain presented written proposals on behalf of the FCCI. Appreciating government's efforts, he said, Pakistan can further increase its growth rate should the issue of cost of doing business be resolved. He said that M-3 industrial estate now spanned over 4500 acres of land and had a potential to be expanded by 20,000 acres in case of Chinese investment. He expressed hope the project would make Faisalabad as one of the most lucrative city for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).