ISLAMABAD, Sep 7 (APP): Pakistan\u2019s special economic zones (SEZs) are beginning to attract diversified foreign participation, with firms from China, Germany and Canada entering into joint ventures with local industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jamshed Ahmed, Investment and Industrial Specialist at Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives told Wealth Pakistan that international companies are partnering with Pakistani firms in Faisalabad and Sheikhupura SEZs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He highlighted the case of Allama Iqbal Industrial City, which has successfully attracted both Chinese and Western investors in textiles, home appliances and mobile manufacturing. He said the industrial estate\u2019s easy access to raw materials and skilled labour has made it a preferred destination for industrial cooperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis reflects the growing confidence of foreign businesses in Pakistan\u2019s industrial environment,\u201d he noted. \u201cThe government has created a facilitative framework, and we are now witnessing concrete results in the form of joint ventures,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said that the government\u2019s strategy is shifting towards greater private sector involvement and business-to-business cooperation in SEZs, moving beyond the earlier state-led model. \u201cForeign investors are looking for credible local partners, and we are facilitating this process,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ministry official pointed out that while priority sectors have been identified \u2013 including agriculture, mines and minerals, IT, chemicals and petrochemicals \u2013 investors are welcome to explore opportunities in any viable area. \u201cWhat matters most is that foreign companies are willing to bring in technology, capital and expertise, while local industries provide market access and on-ground capacity,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ahmed added that the government had also addressed long-standing issues of logistics and power supply through new policy measures, including a Cabinet-approved mechanism that ensures uninterrupted bulk electricity supply to SEZs. \u201cBy resolving such bottlenecks, we are making Pakistan\u2019s industrial landscape more competitive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A senior official from the Board of Investment (BOI) told Wealth Pakistan that the board continues to play a pivotal role in supporting Chinese and other foreign investors under the CPEC Industrial Cooperation Development Programme. He said the newly launched business facilitation centre is a one-window operation designed to cut through bureaucratic bottlenecks. \u201cWhat used to take months will now be achievable in just two streamlined visits,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The BOI official stressed that the one-window operation will not only reduce delays in obtaining approvals, licences and NOCs but also encourage new investors exploring joint ventures in Pakistan\u2019s SEZs. \u201cThis is the kind of structural change that investors have long demanded,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD, Sep 7 (APP): Pakistan\u2019s special economic zones (SEZs) are beginning to attract diversified foreign participation, with firms from China, Germany and Canada entering into joint ventures with local industries. Jamshed Ahmed, Investment and Industrial Specialist at Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives told Wealth Pakistan that international companies are partnering with Pakistani firms…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":26704,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[373],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business"],"yoast_head":"\n