KARACHI: Naheed Memon, Chairperson, Sindh Board of Investment at the preparatory launch of Dhabeji Special Economic Zone (SEZ) said that SBI has engaged a Consortium of Consultants to carryout a detailed feasibility study of the zone.
She said that two primary critical success factors for Special Economic Zone are firstly connectivity and secondly access to a commercial centre.
Dhabeji is 55 km from Karachi, 40 km from Jinnah International airport and 50 km from Karachi port and Port Qasim .The population of Karachi is close to 25 to 30 million people. Based on these actual parameters this will make this 1000 acres, CSEZ at Dhabeji the most viable and successful SEZ in Pakistan.
The China Special Economic Zone, Dhabeji is one of the three approved projects of Sindh Government in the last JCC under China – Pakistan Economic Corridor.
The Government of Sindh has received committed investment from Chinese investors in chemicals, pharmaceuticals, garment manufacturing and steel sectors. The SEZA is actively engaged with provincial industrial associations and State Owned Enterprises (SOE) of China to develop and market this zone. All the utilities including natural gas, power and water will be provided by federal & provincial government. It is expected that the ground work will start before the end of this year. The expected industrial output of this zone will exceed 2 billion US$ and more than 100,000 direct and indirect jobs will be generated.
Ms. Memon informed that after the initial focus on Gawadar, Infrastructure Development, Transport and Energy focus has now shifted to industrial cooperation between China and Pakistan under CPEC which will directly create jobs and uplift socio-economic conditions in the country. This industrial park is being developed as a model for cooperation between Pakistan and China. The Pakistani private sector will gain tremendously and by this initiative Joint Ventures between industries of both countries will take off.
She confirmed that Sindh Board of Investment has engaged a Consortium of Consultants comprising of M/s. Osmani and Company (Pvt.) Ltd., M/s.Ernst & Young, IBA Karachi and RIAA Barke Gillett to carryout a detailed feasibility study which will include Legal & Technical Viability, Commercial Development Plan, Transaction Structure options and prepare a Master Plan for the proposed Zone.
Published in Daily Times, July 8th , 2017.
