QUETTA, Aug 21: The federal government has decided to establish an export processing zone on a 1,000-acre land at the Gwadar Industrial Zone for providing batter import and export facilities.

It was informed in a high-level meeting presided over by Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mir Mohammad Yousuf here on Sunday. The meeting discussed various projects for the provision of basic infrastructure at the industrial zone.

Gwadar Industrial Zone project director M.B. Magsi briefed the meeting about the progress so far made at the zone and said setting up of industries would commence by February 2007 and allottees would get possessions next month.

The chief minister directed the officials concerned to hand over industrial plots to the allottees by next month according to the rules and regulations.

He said with the handing over of plots, industrial activities would get a boost in the new port city of Balochistan. He said work on industrial zone projects should be accelerated.

Mr Yousuf said this project had great importance in the development of Gwadar and with the functioning of industrial zone, Gwadar would become a hub of industrial and trade activities.

He said it would also help in increasing import and export of the country and over 50,000 locals would get direct or indirect jobs.

The project director said that the projects for supplying water, electricity, gas and roads would be completed soon.