Gwadar Port seen as ideal sea route for trade with Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics

Lahore: Special Economic Zones Authority (SEZA) Chairman SM Naveed has said that Gwadar port would be an ideal sea route for trade with Afghanistan and the Central Asian Republics.

Chairing a meeting here at SEZA Secretariat, he expressed satisfaction with the multi-dimensional and multi-sectorial work being undertaken by China in Gwadar.

The SEZA chairman maintained that it would help realize the dream of making Gwadar a center for regional trade and investment.

He underlined that the Special Economic Zones being developed across the country under the 2nd phase of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would further augment Pakistan’s industrial growth.

He contended that Special Economic Zones would also help in the development of transport, infrastructure and energy sectors. Five Special Economic Zones, being developed under the CPEC, would possess state-of-the-art infrastructure and Pakistan would provide all the necessary facilitation in setting up the industry.

SM Naveed urged the local and foreign investors to fully benefit from the improved ease of doing business in the country and avail the opportunities being offered by Pakistan’s business and investment-friendly policies.

He highlighted that the investment-friendly policies of the country had already started paying dividends, which had encouraged famous mobile phone brands to invest in the manufacturing and assembling of phones in Pakistan. He also urged the business community to fully utilize and benefit from sectorial policies designed by the government offering incentives like tax breaks, tax refunds, tax reduction, dedicated infrastructure and investor facilitation services.

Terming the CPEC as being reflective of exemplary Pak-China bilateral relations, Chairman SEZA said that huge investments under CPEC would further reinvigorate various sectors of Pakistan’s economy, besides attracting investment from friendly countries in different sectors of the Pakistani economy. He said that CPEC had already advanced the level of cooperation with Pakistan’s all-weather friend China in the infrastructure and energy sectors.

He said that CPEC has helped Pakistan develop a world-class road network, which would not only improve internal connectivity but also help forge closer linkages with other countries in the region. In the energy sector, he highlighted, steps were being taken to improve the transmission and distribution system of the country under CPEC, enhance system reliability, address the chronic problem of circular debt and ensure sustained provision of energy at affordable rates for industrial and commercial activities.