PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtun­khwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has said the provincial government is focusing its attention on the provision of investment-friendly environment to industrialists so that valuable natural resources can be utilised to benefit the people.

“Completion of the ongoing projects in industrial sector will boost economy and create massive job opportunities in the province besides adding value to natural resources,” the chief minister told a high-level meeting regarding the three-year industrial road map here on Tuesday.

Officials told the meeting that seven industrial facilitation centres had been made functional, while all zonal offices of the Khyber Pakh­tunkhwa Economic Zones Deve­lopment and Management Company had been converted into industrial facilitation centres to help investors.

They said all industrial plots of the Jalozai Economic Zone had been sold out within a month, while the project was expected to generate around 41,000 direct and indirect job opportunities and attract an investment of Rs6.3 billion.

Mahmood reviews three-year industrial road map

According to the officials, Nowshera Economic Zone Extension Project comprising 76 acres of land was ready for commercial launch and the initiative would create over 12,000 jobs and bring in Rs1.6bn investment.

They said the Rashakai SEZ development agreement had been signed and the project was likely to produce around 0.2 million employment opportunities and attract an investment of $1.9 billion.

The officials also said three industries would be made functional in the Mohmand Economic Zone; feasibility study for the establishment of the Centre of Excellence in Mining Processing Technologies had been presented to the Pakistan-China Joint Working Group for approval, and the process to convert it into the SEZ had been initiated.

They invited the chief minister to formally inaugurate the newly-established Dera Ismail Khan Economic Zone and said the project was likely to attract Rs1.5bn investment and generate over 30,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Under the project, four industrial units were already operational and one under construction, while the construction of four additional units would begin soon.

About the upcoming economic zone projects, they told the chief minister that the business plan had been prepared, while a consultant had been hired for the master planning of the 140 acres Chitral Economic Zone.

The project would be available for commercial launch by the end of next month, officials said.

They said master plan for the 89 acres Ghazi Economic Zone had been prepared and the initiative would be ready for commercial launch by the next December.

Officials said international tenders had been floated for the establishment of the 3,125 acres Daraban Economic Zone, which would be the largest one in the province.

They said the Daraban Economic Zone stood two kilometres from the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor route with the location making it ideal for international investors.

The project was expected to attract an investment of Rs56bn and generate more than 5m direct and indirect employment opportunities and it would have 500 industrial units and implemented in phases.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2020

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