Minister Aleem Khan assures Chinese investors of full support

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Investment and Privatisation Abdul Aleem Khan said on Saturday that the Board of Investment (BoI) will provide full support to Chinese investors, particularly concerning the sale and transfer of land in special economic zones (SEZs).

Chairing a meeting on economic zone policy in Lahore, Mr Khan directed the Board of Investment to engage with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and relevant institutions for the industrial zones in the province.

He also directed that Chinese diplomats be included in the next meeting to address issues in a coordinated manner.

The meeting also decided to address the concerns of China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).

Sets three-day deadline for grid connection in KP SEZs

The meeting was briefed on the features of the Economic Zone Policy, tax holidays, import duty exemptions and other related issues. Aleem Khan said the prime minister is fully aware of these matters and emphasised that there should be no negligence moving forward, with past mistakes being rectified.

The State Bank governor, KP chief secretary, CRBC directors, Privatization Board secretary and senior officers provided details on SEZ-related issues involving Nepra, the provincial government, BoI and other departments. According to them, these issues had been pending for the last five years but are now being addressed promptly under the minister’s special instructions, and this meeting will be a breakthrough in this regard.

Aleem Khan stressed that the issues in the special economic zones should be prioritised for resolution and directed that the long-standing issues in KP’s industrial zones be addressed immediately.

Furthermore, he instructed the Peshawar electricity authorities to ensure that the grid connection for the industrial zones is functional within three days.

The SBP governor was tasked with appointing a focal person for investors to resolve outstanding issues.

“We are all sitting here to resolve the complexities and concerns being faced by investors, and the provision of electricity to them should be ensured as soon as possible,” the minister said.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2024