Special Economic Zone Authority (SEZA) of Sindh is to be fully made operational and mobilized at the earliest to speed up the process of development in Sindh province, said Special Assistant to Chief Minister (SACM) for Investment and Public Private Partnership Projects Syed Qasim Naveed Qamar.

Chairing the board meeting of SEZA, he remarked that other provinces of the country had made full use of special economic zones to develop their industrial base. Sindh also needed to catch up by fully utilizing the existing resources and institutions for the development of the province.

He directed the authorities to expedite the process of appointing the Chief Executive Officer of SEZA so that probable leadership could be provided to the authority for its smooth functioning. He was delighted to see the progress being made on the development of Dhabiji Special Economic Zone, Khairpur Special Economic Zone and Karachi Marble City Special Economic Zones. “These economic zones will create employment and generate economic activity in the country,” he said.

“It is, however, important that the development of economic zones is carried out simultaneously in all the major districts of the province so that development could be an even process. Otherwise, far-off areas will be left behind and people will suffer. Sukkur, Larkana, Nawabshah, Naushahro-Feroze, Hyderabad, and other cities such of the like should be earmarked for the development of special economic zones,” he continued.

The meeting was briefed by specialists that special economic zones could be developed under public-private partnership projects on an industrial plot of 50 acres or more. A private developer company named Armstrong had expressed interest to develop a special economic zone at Sakro town of district Thatta and SEZA was facilitating the process.

In the meeting, the SACM also directed the authorities to provide special economic zone status to other similar investing hubs so that the opportunities for industrialists and business leaders could be increased in the province.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk