Islamabad: The parliamentary committee on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project has sought the formation of an authority to expedite the development work on Special Economic Zones (SEZ), a news source reported. The committee suggested that a body comprising all stakeholders should be established at the Board of Investment (BOI).
The Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms was asked by the committee to earmark block allocation for undertaking infrastructure development activities in SEZs in order to make them operational as soon as possible. Early operationalisation of SEZs is imperative for increasing exports and attracting investment.
Committee Chairman Sher Ali Arbab said that most requirements for the Allama Iqbal Industrial Zone and Rashakai Zone had been met; adding that the government hoped to commence with the project operations by the end of the fiscal year 2019-2020.
Moreover, the committee gave gas companies two weeks to come up with a strategy on providing SEZs with the required facilities, and sought details about the expected time delivery required for early operationalization of the SEZs.
