Pak, China sign development agreement of Rashakai SEZ

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Pakistan and China on Monday signed the first development agreement of China Pakistan Economic Corridor’s Rashakai Special Economic Zone, in Islamabad on Monday.
Addressing the ceremony on Monday, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the development of Rashakai Special Economic Zone will help boost industrialization and create job opportunities in the country.
He termed the initiative as a golden opportunity for industrial development of the country.
The prime minister said the completion of this economic zone will promote ease of doing business in the country and facilitate the local and foreign investors.
Highlighting the strategic significance of Rashakai Special Economic Zone, he said the development of this zone and peace in Afghanistan will help develop connectivity to Central Asia that can change the destiny of the region.
PM Khan went on to say that Uzbek leadership has shown interest in developing rail track from Mazar Shareef Afghanistan to Peshawar and it can trigger a revolution for industrial growth in the country.
"The mega ML-1 project will also help promote local businesses as it will reduce the traveling time between Karachi and Lahore to just eight hours," he added.
Rashakai Special Economic Zone will provide conducive business environment for bringing Foreign Direct Investment in the country.
Earlier, the Minister of State/Chairman Board of Investment (BOI), Atif R. Bokhari, in a statement had said that signing of the Development Agreement of Rashakai , SEZ under CPEC would realize the vision of special economic zones’ development, ultimately leading to a prosperous and industrial Pakistan.
He highlighted the progress on SEZs under CPEC, saying that sufficient headway has been made on this front and the zones are now becoming ready for business.
He said that Pakistan’s proximity with China will allow these SEZs to foster economic interdependence for mutual economic advantage.
He said the Special Economic Zones Act 2012, under Section-13 binds together the Federation (Board of Investment), the Province and the SEZ Developer through an agreement for the successful establishment and development of an SEZ, aptly termed as the Development Agreement.
The chairman BOI said that this agreement provides the road map for establishment of an SEZ while holding the Federal and provincial government and the developer jointly responsible for the development and successful operations of an SEZ.
The Rashakai SEZ is to be developed under Public Private Partnership mode, by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zone Development and Management Company (KPEZDMC) (a Section-42 company of Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) in collaboration with China Road & Bridge Corporation (a state-owned Chinese enterprise),he said.
Atif said that an SPV Company of these two firms named Rashakai Special Economic Zone Development and Operations Company (RSEZDOC) has been created for implementation of this Agreement, which is first of its kind with Chinese counterpart being one of the parties.
A project of USD 128 Million, spanning over 1,000 acres of land was awarded SEZ status on August 6, 2019 and its Concession Agreement was signed in April 2019,he added.
He said the Board of Investment promoted establishment of this SEZ with the goals of capitalizing on investment inflow under CPEC, inclusive economic development of KP Province, creation of job opportunities, industrial development, and export generation in Pakistan.
Rashakai SEZ holds a unique competitive advantage due to its proximity to the first juncture of CPEC route, and significant resource and manufacturing base in the region, he said.
Due to such factors, it has the potential to become one of the primary investment destinations for foreign investors – particularly Chinese Investors who are looking to find new and cheaper markets to relocate their industrial base.
The Chairman BOI, Atif R. Bokhari said that Board of Investment has successfully expedited the process of provision of promised utilities, facilitated allocation of fiscal incentives and concession to the co-developer of the SEZ.
To enable successful operations of this SEZ, federal government has committed 1.8 bn PKR for provision of 210 MWs of electricity, and 1.2 bn PKR for the provision of 30 mmcfd gas from the Federal PSDP. Provision of required utilities at the doorstep of the SEZ as per the required timelines of the project will allow for on-time construction and development of the SEZ, he added.

 

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Pakistan, China to ink Rashakai SEZ deal
BoI chief hopes SEZ will pave way for setting up new zones



PESHAWAR:
Pakistan and China are expected to ink an agreement today (Monday) on the development of the Rashakai Special Economic Zone under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The agreement is expected to be signed during a ceremony scheduled to take place at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad.
Minister of State and Board of Investment (BoI) Chairperson Atif Bokhari, in a statement on Sunday, said that the development agreement of the Rashakai Special Economic Zone (SEZ) under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will help realise the vision for the development of special economic zones, ultimately leading to the prosperity of the country.
Bokhari said that great progress has been made in the zones which have been established under CPEC and that they are being prepared for business.
Pakistan’s geographical proximity to China will help these SEZs to foster economic interdependence for mutual advantage, said.
The official further said that under Section-13 of the Special Economic Zones Act 2012, binds together the federation, the province and the SEZ developer through an agreement for the successful establishment and development of an economic zone.
This agreement provides the road map for the establishment of an SEZ while holding the federal and provincial governments and the developer jointly responsible for the development and successful operations of an SEZ.
The Rashakai SEZ will be developed under a public-private partnership by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Economic Zone Development and Management Company (KPEZDMC) in collaboration with the China Road and Bridge Corporation.
The $128 million projects, sprawling over 1,000 acres of land, was awarded the SEZ status on August 6, 2019, and its Concession Agreement was signed in April 2019.
The minister of state further added that the BoI has promoted the establishment of the SEZ to capitalise on investment inflow under the CPEC, inclusive economic development of K-P, creation of job opportunities, industrial development, and export generation in the country.
The Rashakai SEZ has an advantage due to its proximity to the first juncture of CPEC route, and significant resource and manufacturing base in the region, he said.
The timely construction and development of the zone will be possible with the provision of all the basic facilities required, Bokhari said, adding that the zone is spread over an area of 1,000 acres. The BoI chief said the federal government has committed Rs1.8 billion for provision of 210 megawatts of electricity, and Rs1.2 billion for the provision of 30 mmcfd gas from the federal PSDP.
Federal ministers, representatives from various ministries, K-P government officials, and different stakeholders will attend the ceremony.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2020.


 

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