Govt mulls EPZ in Karachi

KARACHI: The government is considering a special export processing zone on 15,000 acres of land near Pakistan Steel to boost industrial activities in the commercial capital, mainly through allocating land for small and medium-sized businesses, a statement said.

Younus Dagha, caretaker provincial minister for commerce and industries, said this while talking to the business community at Federal B Areas Association of Trade and Industry (FBATI).

He said the government is also considering to introduce a law to ban the frequent trading of industrial land in a new industrial estate to control the upward spiral of land prices in the industrial zone.

Dagha said the government is working to expedite the development project on K4 to provide smooth supplies of water throughout Karachi, including F B Area industrial zone. He said the government is also working aggressively on the development of effluent treatment plants in collaboration with the committees of respective industrial zones.

He said compliance with labor laws is indispensable for export-oriented industrial units and the concerned provincial department should shoulder the responsibility for their health and well-being instead of creating disturbance in the operations of industrial units.

He suggested a mechanism of group insurance should be introduced in the industrial estates with mutual understanding of the government to provide genuine and hassle-free health facilities to workers.