ISLAMABAD: Enhancing export-led growth, reducing imports, strengthening local industries and creation of jobs for people in the country can be achieved through timely provision of basic services, MNA Sher Ali Arbab said on Wednesday.

He was talking to members of National Assembly Standing Committee on CPEC, of which he is chairman.

The parliamentary body directed the departments concerned for provision of utilities to expedite the process of industrialisation in order to attract foreign direct investment along China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Mr Arbab, who is also chairman of the committee, directed ministries, divisions and departments concerned to prioritise projects related to CPEC. He said the project carries national importance and needs to be finished timely and effectively.

The meeting was held to discuss provision of basic utilities to people including gas, electricity, roads and so on.

In the past, allied government departments have been criticised over providing NA and Senate committees with insufficient details about different projects. Members said that departments shifted the blame towards one another and there seemed to be no institutional collaboration.

Earlier this month, a Senate committee headed by PPP leader and Senator Sherry Rehman, had called for attention towards projects in Balochistan. Members discussed that no tangible progress was made during the last few years and despite recommendations, provision of gas and electricity supply in Bostan, Balochistan and its development as a special economic zone (SEZ) seemed like a farce.

“Correspondence between federal and provincial governments takes too long. The best solution to this problem is to sit all the relevant officials together and settle matters immediately,” Mr Arbab said.

In response, the officials concerned assured committee members that their recommendation to include ML1 (Torkham to Peshawar) in CPEC, would be taken up in the 10th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC).

“We have also been assured that our recommendation to include electric powered trains instead of diesel trains will be included in CPEC,” he told Dawn.

Members of the committee were briefed by additional secretary and representatives from the planning ministry whereas the Board of Investment sought the committee’s assistance in 53 different areas concerning SEZs.

Secretary (Ministry of Industries and Production), secretary (Ministry of Railways), additional secretary (Power Division), additional director general of Nepra, managing director of NTDC, chief executive officer (CEO) of Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company, chief technical officer of Sindh Economic Zone Management Company, CEO of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management Company, managing director of SNGPL and SSGCL briefed members regarding various issues pertaining to CPEC.

Moreover, members were informed about the business plan chosen for SEZs and the road map to improve investment opportunities in prioritised SEZs was also presented. Work on CPEC concerning gas, electricity and roads seems to be going well without any hurdles, Mr Arbab said, adding in its next meeting the committee will invite representatives from various industries to discuss the business plan further.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2020