KARACHI, July 13: President Pervez Musharraf has announced an industrial infrastructure development package, which includes two new industrial estates and an industrial park, to facilitate rapid industrialization in the metropolis. He was speaking at a joint presentation, at the Governor’s House here on Wednesday, by the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and leading industrialists and businessmen belonging to all industrial estates on the problems confronting the industries and businesses in Karachi.

President Musharraf said that a new industrial estate would be developed in Landhi over an area of 250 acres of land for SMEs (small and medium enterprises). The other industrial estate would be created over an area of 1,500 acres belonging to the Pakistan Steel.

Moreover, he said, an industrial park would be established over 2,000 acres of Port Qasim land on a basis of public-private sectors partnership. The private sector would develop the park according to international standards, he added.

The president declared that the ground-breaking for these industrial sites would be performed in September this year.

He categorically stated that the government would not allow any hindrance to be created in the process of industrialization, saying that it all problems in this regard would be resolved on war-footings.

He said the government would install effluent treatment plants in Landhi, SITE and Korangi industrial areas. Funds for these projects would be provided by the federal government and the industrialists would operate the plants, he added.

Responding to the demand for infrastructure development in the existing industrial areas, he said the federal government would contribute Rs1 billion and the provincial government would match the grant, whereas industrialists would be urged to contribute their share.

“Every industrial estate will have its own management board to execute the project while the government will oversee the progress,” he added.

President Musharraf told the industrialists that the KPT and Port Qasim Authority would install desalination plants by December 31 this year to provide water to industrial units, as well as people.

He also announced a one-time waiver for 147 industrial applicants seeking gas supply whose cases were pending sanction for a long time. They would now get a gas connection on a priority basis, he said.

President Musharraf observed that rapid industrialization would generate plenty of job opportunities. This, he said, would not only help contain unemployment, but also curb crime rate in the province.

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, Corps Commander Lt-Gen Athar Ali, federal ministers Babar Khan Ghauri, Jehangir Khan Tareen and Dr Akram Shaikh, and provincial ministers Syed Sardar Ahmed and Mohammad Adil Siddiqui were present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ibad assured industrialists of all possible cooperation and every step to resolve their problems on a priority basis.

He advised industrialists to keep in touch with him and apprise him of their problems.

RBOD: President Pervez Musharraf has directed the authorities concerned to review PC-1 of the Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD)-II in view of the inclusion of RBOD-III for the disposal of saline effluent water from Balochistan through the RBOD I and II into the sea in an environmentally safe manner.