FAISALABAD: Pakistan’s special economic zones (SEZs) will provide Chinese industries with the requisite environment to relocate to Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan said after performing the groundbreaking of the Allama Iqbal Industrial City in Faisalabad on Friday.
“There are many industries that wish to relocate from China. We are yet to provide them with the ideal environment to relocate to Pakistan. This special economic zone is the environment that China seeks,” said the prime minister. “China’s Premier Li had said clearly that if we provide them with the right environment, they will push Chinese industries to Pakistan.”
Allama Iqbal Industrial City, meant for housing foreign and local investors besides giving impetus to economic activities in the country, is a mega project of the special economic zone of Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (FIEDMC) under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Terming industrialisation as a major source of employment generation in the country, the PM said that the pace of industrialisation in Pakistan was very fast in the 1960s, but unfortunately, this momentum was lost due to policies adopted in 1970s.
Underscoring the need to change national mindset regarding industrialisation, the PM maintained that money-making and wealth creation were not bad things for the society.
He said Pakistan also needed to enhance its agricultural productivity as it would help the farmers gain maximum benefit of the favourable land and climate conditions in the country. Tourism is another sector which has a lot of potential that needs harnessing, he added.
PM Imran further stressed the need to impart technical skills and education to the country’s youth in order to increase their employability.
Earlier, the premier inaugurated the first shelter home in Faisalabad as part of the government’s Panahgah initiative. He was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.
The premier toured the shelter home to review the facilities being provided by the government to homeless people and received a briefing by the administration.
Prime Minister Imran Khan had last week directed the chief ministers of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to take steps to provide temporary shelters and food to every person in their respective province in the wake of extreme and harsh cold weather.
“Given the extremely cold weather conditions, I have asked CMs of Punjab and KP to ensure that no person is left out without a shelter; and their administrations must take immediate action to provide temporary shelters plus food for those who cannot be accommodated in existing Panahgahs (shelter homes),” wrote the prime minister on his official Twitter account.
