The Sindh Board of Investment (SBI), Chairperson Naheed Memon has criticised the government for not providing basic infrastructure and amenities to the three existing Special Economic Zones (SEZs) that were approved by the federal government in 2014. According to details, SBI chairperson Naheed Memon during the Approval Committee meeting on Special Economic Zones held in Islamabad and attended by heads of Board of Investments of all the provinces and federal and heads of concerned departments attended the meeting.
Naheed criticised the federal authorities by saying, that along with giving approval for construction of more SEZs in other provinces, they are also bound to ensure provision of basic facilities and infrastructure to the three already existing SEZs in Sindh.
She demanded that the federal government must first ensure provision of electricity, gas and other basic facilities to the three existing SEZs situated in Khairpur, Bin Qasim and Korangi, before giving go-ahead for construction of more special economic zones in the country.
She said, despite the fact that the federal government had selected and approved the sites for construction of Khairpur, Bin Qasim and Korangi SEZ in 2014, yet no basic amenities have so far been provided to these zones to date. Naheed Memon also apprised the meeting that despite the daily production of gas estimated at 350mm cubic feet in Khairpur, the concerned authority was not even providing 3.5mm cubic feet gas to the SEZs to meet their daily requirements, thus creating difficulty for investors and adding, the issue of land, electricity and non availability of other utilities were also unavailable in the Korangi and Bin Qasim SEZ.