October 04, 2007	Thursday	Ramazan 21, 1428

WASHINGTON, Oct 3: The US Congress is expected to take up a piece of legislation later this month for allowing the import of duty-free goods from certain pockets in Pakistan, lawmakers told a Pakistani delegation on Wednesday.

The goods will be produced at specially designated areas, known as the Reconstruction Opportunities Zones, to be set up along the Pak-Afghan border and in certain areas of Balochistan and Azad Kashmir.

Last week, the US administration signed a deal in Islamabad, formally agreeing to provide $750 million to Pakistan to implement a plan for sustainable development of the tribal areas. ROZs are part of this plan.

A delegation of Pakistani entrepreneurs is visiting Washington this week to discuss with US officials and lawmakers their plans for establishing the ROZs.

“There were some apprehensions about how we are going to establish industries in such remote areas and we assured them that those areas are not as remote as they seem,” said Naved Arif, secretary, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan. “They already have a fairly developed infrastructure required for the production and transportation of goods.”

Ihsan ullah Khan, member Board of Directors FATA Development Authority, said some US lawmakers were concerned that the insurgents may target the industries established in the tribal zone.

“And I told them that so far there has been no attack on factories and businesses in the tribal area. The tribesmen are very good at defending their business interests.”

Ghazanfar Bilour, CEO Bilour Group of Companies, said the delegation assured the Americans that there were plenty of skilled workers in the tribal belt but many are forced to work in other parts of Pakistan and in the Middle East. “If we create opportunities for them near their homes, they will take advantage of these opportunities,” he said.

The delegation also informed the Americans that the NWFP already had five fully developed industrial zones with 500 units while there were possibilities for establishing at least 1500 additional units.

Mr Arif said the agreement, initiated during President Bush’s visit to Islamabad last year, allows establishing ROZs in the settled areas close to the tribal belt.

In Balochistan, he said, ROZs can be set up in a circle of 100 miles, which also includes Quetta.

In AJK, ROZs will be established in the areas hit by the earthquake.

The Pakistani delegation includes representatives of chambers of commerce and chief executive officers of various companies.