Traders visit Balochistan to explore investment avenues
For its strategic and economic reasons, Chinese want to develop the SEZs that fall on the eastern alignment or in its proximity, said officials in the Board of Investment. PHOTO: REUTERS
Balochistan being the largest province of the country should receive more attention in order to harness its large pool of natural resources for the betterment of economy as well as lifting the living standards of people, said Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan.
While visiting Turbat with a delegation to explore business opportunities in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) on Monday, he said that local businessmen had a huge potential to supply products to Balochistan at competitive prices, since the region had been importing most of the goods including dairy products from Iran.
He urged the government to provide incentives to the business community for joint ventures and investments in SEZs of Balochistan so that the province could contribute more to the development of the national economy.
He stressed that the chamber would highlight the investment opportunities available in SEZs of Balochistan to attract maximum investment.
READ Timely establishment of SEZs urged
During the visit, the delegation met with Gwadar Port Authority Chairman Naseer Khan Kashani and other relevant authorities to discuss business and investment possibilities in Turbat and Gwadar.
The delegation was told that the District Administration of Kech and the private sector were launching an SEZ, located at the crossroads of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) network.
The SEZ, comprising an energy park, mineral and material park, metals park, food park and technology park, would be functional in the next six months, which would open new avenues of prosperity and development in the region.
The government had recently announced the opening of new crossing sites at the Pakistan-Iran border to increase bilateral trade, which would supplement socio-economic activities in southern Balochistan by establishing processing, packaging and manufacturing units.
On the occasion, the ICCI president thanked the Gwadar Port Authority chairman for providing a comprehensive briefing to the delegation about investment opportunities in the province.
The delegation was representing various sectors including real estate and construction, information technology, pharmaceuticals, steel, solar energy, edible oil, marble and granite, and flour milling.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 28th, 2021.
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