Sindh to set up industrial zone in cooperation with China

Will develop Keti Bandar project, asks for its inclusion in CPEC

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the provincial government has finalised a plan to establish the China-Pakistan Industrial Zone at Dhabeji and develop the Keti Bandar project for the prosperity of Sindh and Pakistan.

He said this while talking to a Chinese delegation, led by Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong, at the CM House on Tuesday.

The chief minister said he had allocated land at Dhabeji to establish the industrial zone. It would attract Chinese as well as other investments and would be very near to Karachi and the Keti Bandar project for trade via sea and road.

Shah said his team, led by Energy Secretary Agha Wasif, had recently visited China to attend an important transport-related meeting. They emphasised the importance of Keti Bandar project in follow-up meetings.



The chief minister said a meeting of the CPEC Joint Cooperation Committee would be held in China next month. “My team will prepare a detailed feasibility of the Keti Bandar project and present it as a commercial scheme,” he said and added hopefully it would be included in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) if the Chinese ambassador supported the government’s plan.

The chief minister, while giving project details, said a coal jetty would be constructed for the export of coal and coal-fired power plants would also be installed there.

“Power plants need fresh water which is not available at Thar coal field. However, it is available at Keti Bandar and power generation will not be a problem there,” he said and added a railway line from Keti Bandar to the Thar coal field would be laid to transport coal from Thar to the power plant and for export.

The chief minister also outlined the second phase of the project in which a full-fledged seaport would be built for promoting trade with other countries.

Talking about the China-Pakistan Industrial Park, he said he was keen to include it in CPEC so that its infrastructure could be developed. “The area between Gharo and Dhabeji is an ideal place for industrial development. It is fabulous as it is connected through the road network and sea routes.”

Chinese Consul General Wang Yu, deputy consul general and other senior Chinese officials were part of the delegation.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 16^th, 2016.

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