The Sindh government has launched the well-connected Dhabeji Special Economic Zone in district Thatta near Port Qasim, according to a statement issued on Monday.
In this connection, the Sindh Economic Zones Management Company (SEZMC), being the provincial SEZ custodian, has invited proposals for the development and operation of Dhabeji project through an advertisement published in leading national and international newspapers.
Dhabeji SEZ was highlighted in the recent meeting of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Joint Working Group on Industrial Cooperation. The senior officials of China’s National Development Reforms Commission (NDRC) appreciated the Sindh government on the progress made so far.
The Sindh government launched the project through an international competitive bidding process as a build-up to the upcoming 10th Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting between China and Pakistan, which would be held next month.
Pakistan has already been committed to providing utilities including electricity and gas at the doorsteps of this zone and in this regard, the federal government has budgeted Rs4 billion for a dedicated grid station.
The Dhabeji SEZ consists of 1,530 acres of land. The project is already declared as a “Priority SEZ” by the government under the industrial cooperation phase of CPEC.
The project will offer state-of-the-art infrastructure and utilities at the doorsteps, besides providing easy access to the ports of Karachi, i-e Karachi Port and Port Qasim, as well as the main railway line (ML-1) and national highway.
The project is expected to generate employment opportunities, ensure socio-economic development and poverty alleviation in the region.
