Committee formed to address business community’s grievances

PESHAWAR: Participants of a seminar on Friday formed a committee to address the grievances of business community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa about special economic zones to be set up under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The committee, to be headed by president Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Muhammad Afzal and including representatives of Swat, Mardan, Abbottabad, Haripur, Swabi, Charsadda chambers as members, would present recommendations to federal and provincial governments. On the occasion, SCCI president Muhammad Afzal demanded same incentives and privileges for the business community from across Pakistan under the CPEC as offered to Chinese investors.

The seminar was attended by Senator Ilyas Bilour, SCCI senior vice-president Muhammad Iqbal, Director General Board of Investment Riffat Pervez, deputy counsellor general Chinese Embassy, Deputy Director Ministry of Planning Shaukat Khattak, former provincial minister Haji Muhammad Javed and others.

The participants were briefed on special economic zones, infrastructure development, transport, Gwadar Port, industrial cooperation and relief package for investors.Speakers on the occasion said Pakistan would become a hub of economic activities in the region.  They added that as many as nine special economic zones would be set up under the CPEC, including one each in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Balochistan, Islamabad, Fata, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and two in Sindh.