HARIPUR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Wednesday performed the groundbreaking of two industrial units in Hattar area of Haripur district, which are being set up by a Turkish beverage company and a local steel manufacturer.

The Turkish beverage company CCI’s bottling plant is being set up in the Hattar Industrial Estate and privately-owned Pak Steel’s plant in the Hattar Special Economic Zone.

The plants are expected to attract an investment of $50 million each.

The bottling plant will be spread over an area of 29 acres and will create 700 jobs.

Hails Turkish investment, expects more will follow

Mr Mahmood also inaugurated the Pak Steel’s plant in Hattar SEZ, which is being set up with the initial investment of $50 million and annual production capacity of 500,000 tons besides creating around 2,000 jobs for the local population.

According to a statement, it is the seventh bottling plant by the company in Pakistan and first in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Provincial ministers Taimur Saleem Jhagra and Akbar Ayub Khan, special assistant to the chief minister on industries Abdul Karim Khan, Turkish ambassador Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul, management of the CCI Pakistan and other senior officials attended the groundbreaking ceremony.

Mr Mahmood welcomed Turkish investment in the province and said the initiative would pave the way for bringing in more Turkish investment in the province.

He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa offered conducive environment for both local and foreign investors due to the government’s business-friendly policies.

The chief minister said his government was providing facilities to investors through one window operation in a major move to attract more and more private investment.

He said besides industrial sector, there were ample investment opportunities in tourism and energy sectors of the province as well and that the government had put the province on the path of development by promoting those sectors.

“We have unveiled a historic and pro-people budget for the upcoming financial year, which also offers tax concessions and other incentives to private investors, to attract private investment and create employment opportunities,” he said.

Mr Mahmood said the government was taking concrete and result-oriented steps to boost industrial activities in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and a comprehensive industrial road map had been developed for the purpose.

He said economic zones were being established across the province, while multiple projects in the communications sector were in progress to connect those zones to make the province a hub of industrial activities.

The chief minister said the government paid special attention to both rehabilitation of sick industrial units and establishment of new ones.

Regarding the Hattar SEZ, he said the economic zone had vital importance due to strategic location and that’s why it was being extended.

“Phase II of the zone will be inaugurated very soon,” he said.

Mr Mahmood said the credit for fast track industrial activities in the province went to Prime Minister Imran Khan, who provided the vision for attracting private sector investment.

He said the establishment of the first-ever industrial unit by a Turkish company in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was a historical event and the government would not only welcome the Turkish investment but would also extend all-out support and cooperation to others.

The chief minister appreciated the efforts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade, Economic Zone Development and Management Company and the entire team of industries department for attracting private sector investment to the province.

Turkish ambassador Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul, CCI Pakistan general manager Ahmad Kursad, CCI Pakistan regional director Ihsan Iqbal and other also addressed the ceremony.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2021