April 9, 2003	Wednesday	Safar 6, 1424

QUETTA, April 8: The government will provide tax holiday and exempt industrial units from customs duty which are being set up in different sectors of Balochistan.

This was stated by Federal Minister for Industries and Production Liaquat Ali Jatoi during a high-level meeting here on Tuesday, which was presided over by Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousaf.

Jaoti said a package of incentives for the businessmen of Balochistan has been prepared which would be announced after the prime minister’s approval.

He said that the federal government has decided to abolish customs duty on the import of machinery for the exploration and processing of marble and granite in Balochistan.

He also informed the meeting that the Bolan Textile Mills (BTM) would be revived with the cooperation of private sector.

He said that he had visited the BTM and found the machinery was in very good condition, and added his ministry would revive the Uthal and Bolan Textile Mills for which efforts were under way.

The minister directed the Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (IDBP) to set up a processing plant in Quetta for which the provincial government would provide land.

He also directed the Department of Small and Medium Industrial Development to provide guidance and cooperation to the industrialists for establishing apple, dates, fish, marble and granite processing plants and cold storage in the province.

He said that a export processing zone would be established in Gwadar which would help in increasing the overall exports of the country. “All facilities would be provided to the investors for the promotion of industrial sector of the province.

He informed the meeting that China had shown interest in establishing petrochemical industry in Gwadar, which would also help in setting up allied industries in the area.

He said that Pakistan was a big market and it would be our efforts to get maximum benefits from it.

The minister further informed the meeting that export target from January 2003 to June 2003 was fixed at $6 billion and for meeting this target exhibitions of Pakistani products including auto mobiles, surgical instruments, electronic goods and other items would be arranged in different countries.

He assured the provincial government that problems being faced by the industrialists and other sectors would be resolved.