November 28, 2001	Wednesday	Ramazan 12, 1422

KARACHI, Nov 27: A committee has been set up to finalize the matters concerning the establishment of proposed Agriculture Export Processing Zone in Karachi.

The committee will be headed by the provincial agriculture minister, and will help solve the problems which may come in the way of setting up of the zone besides carrying out registration in the zone and providing necessary facilities to exporters.

Presiding over a meeting held to give final shape to AEPZ, Agriculture Minister Hasan Ali Chaniho said that the committee members would include chairman, Export Processing Zone, secretary Agriculture Sindh, a Smeda representative, besides Syed Qamaruzzaman Shah, Abdul Majeed Nizamani and Qurban Ali Shah.

Mr Chaniho said that 70 acres of land had been obtained for the proposed zone near New Sabzi Mandi on Super Highway. It will have plots of 60-80 sq yards having arrangements for grading and packing of fruits, vegetables and flowers.

He said these plots would be given to farmers registered by various agriculture organizations. For this purpose export estates are being set up in all the districts where they will have to get themselves registered.

The minister said this would be the Asia’s biggest zone equipped with modern facilities which were available to country’s other export processing zones.

He said besides banks and post offices, a modern training centre and auditorium would also be constructed for training of farmers and exporters.

He pointed out that development of corporate culture among farmers is the need of the hour as only this way Pakistan would be able to dispose of its products in the international markets.

Chairman, EPZ, Mohammed Akbar, informed the meeting that no other organization would interfere in the working of this zone which would have ‘one window operation’. He said duty free import of machinery would be allowed for grading and packing while no local tax would be recovered.—APP