September 14, 2002	Saturday	Rajab 6, 1423

ISLAMABAD, Sept 13: The government has finalized plans to establish eight model industrial estates — two in each province — to kick-start industrial activity to end national economic stagnation.

Official sources said the plan to set up these modern industrial estates was prepared on the directives of President Pervez Musharraf issued in October 2000.

A meeting of performance of provincial committees on investment (PCOIs) led by Commerce Minister Abdul Razak Dawood has been convened here on September 19 to give a final approval to these industrial estates.

The meeting to be participated by all the provincial ministers of industries and leading private sector entrepreneurs would also review performance of the all the PCOIs.

The PCOIs have been directed to come up with solid and short-term investment proposals for various potential sectors in the respective provinces.

The commerce minister told a meeting of Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (Smeda) that around 165 enterprise projects had been brought in the execution stage and over 3,800 individuals have been trained for various industrial sectors.

The minister directed the Smeda to focus on textile, ginning, fruits, vegetables and leather to help public sector evolve long-term growth strategies in these sectors.

He said the Japanese pattern of sustainable economic development be followed where five million SMEs were working and producing 90 per cent raw material.