SEZs along CPEC to be shared by all provinces, GB, AJK

ISLAMABAD: Special economic zones (SEZs) will be established along the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and they will be shared by all federating units including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir.
The decision was taken in the Cabinet Committee on CPEC Friday with Prime Minster Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the chair. The government has announced five-year exemption from custom duty for the parties developing the SEZs and ten-year exemption for the industries to operate there provided they start functioning before June 2020.
The committee assigned the ministry concerned to submit a detailed proposal regarding the import of electricity from Iran to specifically meet the future needs of Gwadar. The huddle discussed CPEC projects in detail including power and water supply, construction of Gwadar airport, free port and extension of the port and development of SEZs.
The spokesman for the prime minister said the committee has asked the ministry concerned to furnish the proposal by coming weeks for import of electricity from Iran for Gwadar. Pakistan has already been importing a minor chunk of electricity from Iran, but on barter basis, to avoid the violations of the international sanctions imposed on Iran. To a question, he said Pakistan is ready to complete the gas pipeline project with Iran provided the international sanctions on Iran are lifted. He said the government had tackled the power crisis efficiently and the country would become power surplus shortly. He revealed that China has provided a grant worth Rs22.25 billion for construction of Gwadar International Airport and the preliminary design of the project has been completed. He said work on the project would start by mid next year and would take another three years for completion.
The government would also hold first global expo in Gwadar to promote investment in the country. The government is also making strategy to end dependence on rainwater in Gwadar and has sought proposals in this regard to execute long-term project to cope with water needs. The spokesman said the government has installed gasification plant of 600 million cubic feet within 11 months and second one would be inaugurated within a couple of days.
To a query, the spokesman said the finance minister is under treatment abroad and the prime minister is looking after the affairs of his ministry. The spokesperson said the government would continue taking stringent measures to ensure security of CPEC as various elements are poised to foil this gigantic project. He said the Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) on CPEC is scheduled to meet on Tuesday (November 21) that would take up the long-term projects under CPEC besides discussing all relevant issues. Gwadar Port is being extended and three multipurpose berths would be added to the facility. Responding queries regarding political affairs, the spokesman said after the National Assembly had passed the electoral reforms bill, a constitutional crisis had been averted besides putting to rest the rumours of the national and technocrat government.
Apprising the media about the prime minister’s engagements during this week, the spokesman said the National Security Committee (NSC) had discussed in details security situation of the country with particular focus on CPEC and the aftermath of recent terror wave in Quetta and Bajaur. He said the prime minister has initiated a series of meetings with the youngsters as he had recently interacted with the delegations of the students. He recalled that the prime minister had another meeting with all the chief ministers and also resolved the longstanding issue of net hydel profit.
The meeting was attended by federal minister Ahsan Iqbal, Secretary Planning Shoaib Siddiqui, SAPM Miftah Ismail, Sartaj Aziz, federal secretaries Arshad Mirza, Yousaf Naseem Khokhar, Shahid Ashraf Tarrar, Shahid Mahmood, Karamat Hussain Niazi and other senior officers.