SEZs under CPEC to further augment Pakistan’s industrial growth: President

Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday said that Special Economic Zones (SEZs) being developed across the country under the second phase of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would further augment Pakistan’s industrial growth and uplift transport, infrastructure, and energy sectors.
The president, addressing the 3rd Roundtable Conference on“Pakistan Paradise for Investment & CPEC-2030: Economic Revolution from Kashgar to Gwadar and Beyond”, held at Aiwan-e-Sadr, said that five SEZs, being developed under the CPEC, would possess state-of-the-art infrastructure.
He said the Government of Pakistan would provide all the necessary facilitation in setting up the industry in the SEZs.
He urged the local and foreign investors to fully benefit from the improved Ease of Doing Business in the country and utilize the opportunities being offered by the country’s business and investment-friendly policies. Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong, and Editor-in-Chief of the Pakistan Observer Faisal Zahid Malik also addressed the conference which was attended by the members of the diplomatic community, media and businessmen.
The president highlighted that the investment-friendly policies of the country had already started paying dividends, encouraging famous mobile phone brands to invest in the manufacturing and assembling of phones in Pakistan.
He also urged the business community to fully utilize and benefit from sectoral policies designed by the government offering incentives like tax breaks, tax refunds, tax reduction, dedicated infrastructure and investor facilitation services.
Terming the CPEC a reflection of exemplary Pak-China bilateral relations, the president said that huge investments under CPEC would further reinvigorate various sectors of Pakistan’s economy, besides attracting investment from friendly countries in different sectors.
He further said that CPEC had already advanced the level of cooperation with Pakistan’s all-weather friend China in the infrastructure and energy sectors.
President Alvi said that CPEC had helped Pakistan develop a world-class road network, which would not only improve internal connectivity but would also help forge closer linkages with other countries in the region.