ISLAMABAD – China will help Pakistan in a big for its industrialisation in the second phase of CPEC’s implementation.
Industrial zones will be established along the CPEC’s route that passes through all parts of the country, said acting Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Zhao Lijian in a recent informal chat with journalists. The 7th Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) on CPEC between the two countries will be held here later this month that will be take up some major projects to further develop Pakistan ‘s industrial sector while carrying out energy and communication-related plan.
The committee would prominently take up the issue of industrial cooperation as part of its main agenda. It is likely to approve new projects of Special Economic Zones (SEZs). The JCC is the apex decision-making forum on the CPEC which is jointly chaired by the planning and development minister and the vice chairman of National Development and Reform Commission of China .
The basic idea of an industrial corridor is to develop a sound industrial base, served by competitive infrastructure for attracting investments into export oriented industries and manufacturing. Meanwhile, sources in the Planning Division said the representatives from private sector investment and business community would be specially invited in the meeting as the government wants to engage the private sector and business community in materialising the phase of Industrial Cooperation under CPEC.
Furthermore, financial agreements on three road projects, including KKH (remaining portion), DI Khan to Zhob and Khuzdar to Basima is also likely to be signed at the 7th JCC meeting. To this effect, Minister for Planning and Development and Interior Ahsan Iqbal has already taken the business community into confidence and assured them that the JCC will incorporate their viewpoint in the development of SEZs.
During the recently held meeting with the business community, the minister also stressed upon completing feasibility and other formalities of Gilgit-Shandur-Chitral-Chakdara and Naukundi-Mashkhel-Panjgaur roads coinciding with the JCC meeting. About the provision of electricity to Gilgit-Baltistan, Ahsan directed the Ministry of Energy to expedite the already identified potential power projects for GB for their approval by the JCC.
Source The Nation