Islamabad: Federal Minister for Planning, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary chaired the first meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on China Investment Projects (CCoCIP). The meeting was attended by the Minister of Science and Technology Mr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Planning Secretary Mr. Awais Manzoor Sumra and senior officials of various federal ministries.
The meeting discussed issues related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Independent Power Producer (IPP), which poses significant obstacles to the financial closure of major projects. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has directed the IPP to submit the relevant amount in the CPEC power project as soon as possible.
Minister Ahsan Iqbal said it is important to provide electricity to SEZs at an incentive rate, ensuring that the government does not incur losses. He ordered his participation in the board of directors to speed up the resolution of issues related to SEZ. A comparative study of the incentives offered to SEZs in regional countries was directed to determine whether Pakistan’s SEZs and export processing clusters could be more attractive.
The Planning Minister has directed the Board of Investment (BOI) and the Ministry of Commerce to establish export processing zones to attract industries from China to Pakistan and identify possible products for relocation. The Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of IT, Ministry of Petroleum and Ministry of Manpower have been tasked to prepare a Request for Proposal (RFP) that proposes measures to increase Pakistan’s exports from $30 billion to $100 billion over the next seven years. year.
The focus is on developing strategies to achieve an export surplus to meet local and international demands. Strategies to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens in Pakistan were also discussed and the need for public awareness of their contribution to Pakistan’s development was emphasized. The planning minister said that security measures should create confidence and not fear.
He said, it is important to use modern technology similar to developed countries to monitor the activities of non-governmental organizations and anti-national elements. Furthermore, the minister highlighted the negative effects of imposing illegal challenges on citizens as it creates a negative perception among foreign visitors. It is also noted that efforts are needed to eliminate the negative image of high-risk countries in the world.
The Minister of Planning highlighted the recent visit of the Chinese Vice Premier to mark the 10th anniversary of CPEC and highlighted the five corridors for future cooperation announced by the Chinese Prime Minister for CPEC Phase 2, the five corridors include the Economic Development Corridor, the Project Creation Corridor, the Innovation Corridor, Green Energy Corridor and Inclusive Regional Development Corridor.
The meeting discussed preparations, including possible discussions at the Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) to determine the outcome before the Prime Minister’s visit to China. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal directed the ministry to expedite the joint working group (JWG) meeting and finalize the project for presentation in the upcoming JCC meeting.
Minister Ahsan Iqbal said there is a need for a national plan to define Pakistan’s priorities in cooperation with China and ensure effective discussions in the upcoming 13th JCC.
