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ISLAMABAD: The Board of Investment has identified 41 sites for establishing special economic zones (SEZs) to boost the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Reform was informed on Tuesday.
The committee’s meeting was presided over by Abdul Majeed Khan Khanan Khail.
“We need to pave the way for export-oriented businesses to reap full benefits of the CPEC,” Mr Khanan Khail said, adding that the committee would like to know what incentives were available for local investors as there were rumours there were little benefits for them.
The committee was informed that seven SEZs had been notified by the BOI so far.
It was informed that there was no difference between incentives given to local and foreign investors in the SEZs.
The BOI has devised a comprehensive plan for development and management of an industrial park under the CPEC incentives for both local and foreigner investors in the SEZs.
The committee was informed that the 41 sites had been selected after consultations with the provincial, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan governments and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas secretariat.
The members recommended setting up of vocational and technical training centres in the zones for local people.
Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2017
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Comments (27) Closed
Feb 15, 2017 09:19am
The government should consult with their Chinese counterparts and identify the kind of industrial units that the Chinese would like to set up in these industrial zones so that the training can be provided to the local workforce accordingly. We must recognise that our workforce don't have approved vocational qualifications although our workers are extremely hard working and able to learn very quickly but still the international organisations need workers with the right qualifications and basic skills in literacy, numeracy and IT skills to perform their jobs in the modern world.
Also, we must ensure that units are set up as joint ventures so that local investors are equally involved in the industrial expansion as a result of CPEC. It should be made compulsory for foreign investors to have local partners and similarly the proportion of local to foreign workers should be in favour of the local population.
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Feb 15, 2017 09:28am
Good. In an year, we should start loaning IMF and world bank.
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Feb 15, 2017 09:37am
Banglladesh have about 50 Economic Zones.
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Feb 15, 2017 09:51am
Looks good on paper. Given the security situation who except China will invest in the sez.good try
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Feb 15, 2017 09:59am
Meanwhile Indian space agency ISRO Launch 104 sattlite in one go and create world history. More then 100 are belong to 6 nations . very good business to earn money in billion dollar market.
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Feb 15, 2017 10:02am
@M. Emad, We already have some 150 economic/industrial zones in the country. The news above is exclusively about the proposed CPEC related industrial zones.
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Feb 15, 2017 10:04am
@M. Emad An Indian company has deputed 40 of its engineers in 5 of them. The project is nearing completion and ready for handover 33 days before schedule and with 12% less than budgeted cost.
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Feb 15, 2017 10:05am
may we know the locations of all these 41 ESZs?
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Feb 15, 2017 10:27am
@M. Emad Bangladesh is progressive and rising economy unlike Pakistan. Compare to Pakistan they have political stability, strong currency, progressive government and good relation with all neighbors. No surprise that their economy is growing faster.
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Feb 15, 2017 10:32am
Unless Pakistan starts exporting it's products to other countries there is absolute no use of cpec..
Right now Chinese goods are entering Pakistani markets at an alarming rate which is affecting the local industry.
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Feb 15, 2017 10:54am
This very good for Pakistan, after a very very long time something has started to happen in the economic field. Make sure that these zones do not become a real estate investment the buyer must establish some industry.
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Feb 15, 2017 11:00am
@M. Emad "Bangladesh have about 50 Economic Zones". Well congratulation , Pakistani's are not against any development or good News that comes out of Bangladesh. I just hope all these 50 economic zones are not owned by Prince Moosa of Bangladesh.
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Feb 15, 2017 11:05am
Five years from now and Pakistan will become the major economic power of the world.
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Feb 15, 2017 11:07am
@RIZ "may we know the locations of all these 41 ESZs?" Pretty much all over Pakistan. The most wonderful thing that CPEC will do to Pakistan is that it will it will end provincialism in Pakistan and bring all the Pakistanis together .
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Feb 15, 2017 11:19am
Everything for future, nothing for present. What we have got from CPEC till date? Few roads and some infra?
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Feb 15, 2017 11:26am
Good to see Pakistan moving ahead economically, bringing jobs is the best way to counter extremism.
There is a lot that yet remains to be done, India has already operationalized some 900 SEZs & is building some 300 more.
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Feb 15, 2017 11:35am
@M. Emad I am from Bangladesh...why are you telling lie? The number is not 50.....It is only 13
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Feb 15, 2017 11:54am
yesterday discovery science made one hour programme on worlds largest MEGA industries and would you believe i jumped out of my chair when it was RELIANCE REFINERY JAMNAGAR gujarat which is spread across 30 sq miles . is half size of manhattan they said , one can see it from MOON ! , posco steel of korea , volkswagon etc are next large ones .
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Feb 15, 2017 12:06pm
@SAM ; five years ?thats wrong. we are crossing 3 trillion dollar mark before this year end , where are you ? next year we shall be 5 trillion economt surpassing japan .now relax .
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Feb 15, 2017 12:05pm
Wait and see by the time CPEC is completed, every street of Pakistan will become an economic zone by itself.
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Feb 15, 2017 01:59pm
@Farrukh Points noted. The senate will immediately implement your suggestions :)
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Feb 15, 2017 02:04pm
Indeed CPEC is a game changer. Wishing all the best.
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Feb 15, 2017 04:52pm
Its time that India should join the CPEC project and should bury their differences on various issues. Our countries need to improve sectors such as drinking water, agriculture, infrastructure, employment etc.. instead spending on arms & ammunition. In our current generation, Certain people are thinking about war between two countries which excites them, but the fact is, people from both sides would be at great loss and future generations would be lost. We have not voiced our concerns on Syria,Iraq, Yemen, Libya etc where millions have been killed. Let the two countries progress on development and should not interfere on their internal issues unless it is affecting human lives.
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Feb 15, 2017 05:36pm
wonder if Chinese are going to allow the labor unions ....
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Feb 15, 2017 08:01pm
it is a great opportunity if we fake it serious and an incentive for Pakistani people to change their fate through this corridor.
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Feb 15, 2017 08:53pm
spot on. this is what is most crucial
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Feb 16, 2017 05:05pm
@imran this guy has a perpetual habit of making figures with which to portray india or bangladesh look good or more make pakistan lesser of a country than those two !
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