PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Saturday announced the establishment of economic zones in tribal districts of the province and ordered the early finalisation of the matters about the Rashakai Economic Zone.

He was chairing a meeting at the Chief Minister’s House here, where adviser to the chief minister Abdul Karim, head of Strategic Support Unit Sahibzada Saeed, industries secretary, and Peshawar commissioner Shahab Ali Shah were in attendance.

According to a statement, the participants discussed the opening of a road to link Afghanistan with the Central Asia to make the region an economic hub in light of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project.

CM orders early finalisation of matters for Rashakai Economic Zone

They focused their discussion on the province’s mega projects, including the finalisation of concessional agreement, financial model and the infrastructure development for the Rashakai Economic Zone, the energisation of CRBC for power production and agricultural productivity, hydel power generation in Malakand and Hazara regions, the provision of cheap electricity to local industries, boosting of trout production, establishment of a model village in erstwhile Fata, and other relevant matters.

The chief minister said all needs for the Rashakai Economic Zone should be fulfilled to get the approval of the federal government for the purpose by Jan 15, 2019.

He ordered the finalisation of the plan for the provision of electricity produced locally in Malakand division for food processing and agro-based industrialisation and tourism-related activities.

Mr Mahmood said the CPEC project had brought multifaceted challenges along and therefore, strong commitment was needed to meet those challenges.

“We will train our youths to cope with the growing challenges of producing skilled manpower,” he said.

The chief minister said the tribal districts would get economic zones under the CPEC project for which all public sector institutions should take necessary measures.

He said the electricity generated by Matiltan and other hydropower stations would be provided to the food processing, agro-based, livestock and tourism-related industries at cheaper rate, which would ensure the socioeconomic development of northern districts of the province.

Mr Mahmood said peace was the basic prerequisite for economic growth.

“Once peace is there, the region will have the bright prospects for growth,” he said asking stakeholders to prepare themselves for availing themselves of the growing opportunities created by the CPEC project.

The chief minister asked the IT and science and technology department to prepare an ‘integrated dashboard’ for the one-window operation to facilitate investors, traders and industrialists in the province.

PANEL FORMED: The CM has constituted a committee to propose ways for doing business easily in the province.

A statement issued here said the chief minister will be the patron-in-chief of the committee, which will be headed by special assistant to the chief minister Kamran Khan Bangash and will comprise special assistant to the chief minister on industries, the secretaries of planning and development, finance and excise and taxation departments, and chief of the KP Board of Investment and Trade as members.

The committee members will prepare recommendations for departments and stakeholders, interact with members of the KP chamber of commerce and industries, Federal Board of Revenue and Securities and Exchange of Commission of Pakistan, and produce a detailed report on a one-window solution for the facilitation of businesses and industries.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2018