KARACHI, Aug 23 (APP): Federal Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan on Friday said that Export Processing Zones (EPZs) have been identified in Sindh and Punjab to provide necessary facilities and instantly use for projects in joint ventures.
He said this while talking to the business community and media persons during his visit to the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry- FPCCI head office here.
He said that he along with other ministers, officials and private sector representatives visited the EPZs across the country and made assessment about availability of the land and other facilities so as to ensure instant availability of land and other utility services for the industries which are interested to immediately launch projects in the joint ventures.
He said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had held several meetings during the last four months at several platforms for trade and export facilitation and the government is taking serious measures in this regard.
The meetings were held with the representatives of business community, chambers of commerce and other stakeholders, the minister added.
He said that different initiatives were taken by the government for the facilitation of business community but perhaps the community is unaware of these positive developments, therefore there is a need to share these things with the business community.
Speaking about his visit to the FPCCI head office, Jam Kamal Khan said that the objective of his visit was to hold detailed interaction with the business community.
He said that the business community should not count itself apart from the Commerce Ministry because the Ministry represents the community.
Jam Kamal Khan said that the Commerce Ministry will play a vibrant role for facilitation of the business community through practical steps. Tabling the issues of the business community before the appropriate forums and reaching a consensus resolution of the same will be our success, he added.
Efforts are being made to improve overall situation which is, he said, necessary for the business community and the countrymen at the moment.
He said that the policies which are being devised world over and linkages between the countries are being developed on the basis of trade and business relationships at the moment.
He said that the tests for recruitment of Trade and Investment Officers (TIOs) at Pakistan’s Trade Mission Abroad were conducted through LUMS and IBA that was a good initiative. A portal is developed where the TIOs will upload their progress on the dashboard and their performances will be evaluated and audit and marking will be held on the basis of their performances, he added.
Jam Kamal Khan said, “We are also working to establish display centers in six to eight countries including Saudi Arabia and China to facilitate the our traders to display their products.”
He said that the world was moving toward ease of doing business and we were also taking initiatives keeping the requirements of our business community mind.
He said that the business community deserves appreciation for extending full support to the government in the tough times. We are trying to create environment for the growth of the business and the industries and the Prime Minister was taking keen interest in that regard.
Jam Kamal Khan said that the urea, wheat and sugar are three major crops and we are trying to move towards value addition.
Earlier, Chief Executive Officer of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, Zubair Motiwala and others also spoke.
