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instructed to liaise with SBOI
Monday, October 19, 2009
By Imtiaz Ali
Karachi
The newly-established Sindh Board of Investment (SBOI) has been tasked by the Sindh government to boost the provincial economy, and has instructed various departments to nominate one officer as a “focal person” to liaise with the investment board, The News has learnt.
Sources claimed that this decision was taken in a meeting of SBOI, which was chaired by Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Qaim Ali Shah, who is also the chairman of the board. The SBOI’s purpose was stated to be supplementing the economy through increased investment for the socio-economic uplift of the province. Senior officials, businessmen and representatives of traders’ bodies attended the meeting and gave their suggestions to improve prospects of investment in Sindh.
Officials told The News that Sindh Chief Secretary Fazalur Rehman has recently instructed all heads of departments to nominate an officer of additional secretary rank who could liaise with the SBOI. All the departments have been instructed to brief the SBOI about their working, as well as to identify investment opportunities in the shape of marketable products. In case of an absence of producers, the SBOI intends to prepare and market products.
Sources said that the Sindh government has decided to assign these officers as soon as possible in order to ensure the functioning of SBOI with full strength and also to achieve desired targets in minimum possible time. Sources added that the departments of Agriculture, Food, Commerce, Industries and bureau of supply and prices have specially been instructed to maintain close liaison with the SBOI.
The participants were of the view that federal agencies played the most important role in the working and growth of investments in the province. However, they said that there was lack of coordination and facilitation, between the Sindh government and the business community. The participants advised that the SBOI could help bridge the gap between all stake holders.
The meeting suggested that the CM should convene an early meeting with all the concerned departments to advice them on better coordination and to create a more business friendly atmosphere.
The Sindh govt was advised to consult the president and prime minister, to issue directions to the federal government agencies in the province. The CM was also asked to take up this issue at a competent forum and include a representative of the Sindh government (SBOI) on the boards of public sector corporations working in Sindh, for better liaison and coordination.
It was also suggested in the meeting that the Sindh government should include SBOI on the KESC and SSGC boards immediately, as these two utility agencies were seriously affecting investment in Sindh.
It was decided that measures should be adopted for effective surveillance in and around the industrial areas and to improve the overall law and order situation of the province. Participants of the meeting were of the view that the police strength for SITE should be increased to make the environment friendly to the business community
It was proposed that land should be offered for allotment only after basic infrastructure had been developed and utilities had been provided in the given area. Suggestions proposed included that the SBOI should look for new avenues for power generation, especially in the newly created industrial areas and indicate hurdles, if any, to the CM to readdress. Also, plans were made for SBOI to work in close coordination with KESC, to address the issues of industrial areas.
Official sources said that the advisor to the CM on investment, Zubair Motiwala, emphasised the need to win the confidence of the existing investors through better facilitation services, reducing the element of harassment and providing safety to the life and property of the investor. He said that if the existing investor was made comfortable, it would automatically attract new domestic and foreign investment.
Tuwairqui Steels Mills Projects Director Zaigham Adil Rizvi apprised the participants about the projects being launched by the company with “indigenous resources and the introduction of new technology, which can reduce gas/power consumption by the jet furnace used in steel production.”
SITE Chairman M.A. Jabbar, brought the attention of the participants towards the general law and order problems and shortage of police official in the SITE area. Industries and Investment Committee Chairman and member SBOI Nisar Sheikhani, emphasised on the power outages and its effects on the industrial production and export. He also pointed out the anomalies in tariff.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
