Pakistan seeks Chinese investment in SEZs

Envoy says establishment of SEZs flagship initiative to attract FDI

SHANGHAI:

Pakistan has one of the most attractive free trade and investment regimes in the world and is likely to be the most open economy in South Asia, remarked Pakistan’s Consul General in Shanghai Hussain Haider.

Speaking at the Punjab (Pakistan)-YRD Region (China) webinar on “Investment opportunities in targeted SEZs of Punjab” on Tuesday, the consul general highlighted that the establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) was a flagship initiative of Pakistan government to attract foreign direct investment (FDI).

“Pakistan attaches high importance to its trade and investment relations with China, which is the largest source of FDI into Pakistan. We hope to create better understanding of the investment environment among our Chinese friends,” said Haider.

The event was jointly organised by the Punjab Board of Investment and Trade (PBIT) and the Consulate General of Pakistan in Shanghai.

PBIT CEO Jalal Hassan, in his opening remarks, elaborated that there were 10 SEZs in Punjab and more economic zones were in the pipeline.

He believes that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the utmost priority of the government and the people of Pakistan equally. “We must also consider preparing a policy on green investment under CPEC as Pakistan will be busy in post-flood rehabilitation work for the next couple of years.”

PBIT Head of China and South East Desk Sohail Qadri maintained that Punjab’s SEZs were the hubs for key industrial sectors such as textile, agriculture and food processing.

THE ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED ON THE CHINA ECONOMIC NET

 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29^th, 2022.

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