SEZs to create 575,000 jobs: SEZA chairman

Says government will conduct short-term courses to train labour for employment

LAHORE:

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is likely to create about 575,000 direct, and over one million indirect, jobs in four special economic zones (SEZs) being set up in Pakistan said Special Economic Zones Authority (SEZA) Chairman, SM Naveed during an interactive session held at Chief Minister’s (CM) Secretariat.

“The second and third phases of CPEC will bear more opportunities for Pakistani citizens in terms of employment and growth for the business sector,” he said.

The SEZA chairman explained that in the first phase, some Chinese companies had faced problems finding suitable candidates to work on energy and infrastructural projects because there was an acute lack of skilled labour in Pakistan.

“In order to prepare the youth to find employment opportunities in the second and third phase of CPEC, the government is planning to conduct short-term courses to train the aspirants in their respective fields,” he said.

According to statistics provided by the World Bank, about 6% of Pakistanis are unemployed.

“The government has conducted a study to assess the number of employment opportunities available in four out of nine SEZs,” he said. During the study, it was determined that, in order for the youth to be successfully employed with the SEZs in different fields, they need to be trained. Only after that can the industrial phase be initiated, added Naveed.

Highlighting the potential industries vying for skilled labour he said, “The SEZs are likely to produce 55,000 jobs for locals and have the potential to create 80,000 jobs Food processing, cooking oil, ceramics, gems and jewellery, marble, minerals, agriculture machinery, iron and steel, motorbike assembling, electrical appliances and automobiles are all potential employment hubs.”

“Trained and skilled labour and engineers will not only secure good jobs in the SEZs, but will also encourage the companies to find skilled professionals from within the local areas instead of hiring them at additional cost from other parts of the country,” said the chairman.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2022.

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