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Friday, March 15, 2024

Allama Iqbal Industrial City attracts US investors

Entrepreneurs from the United States have shown keen interest to invest in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)’s first Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Allama Iqbal Industrial City, near Faisalabad, due to immense market potential of the country, improved governance and variable initiatives like the one being implemented by FIEDMC - a success story of Public Private Partnership

Entrepreneurs from the US have shown keen interest to invest in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)’s first Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Allama Iqbal Industrial City due to immense market potential of the country and improved governance. This was disclosed during meeting of American Business Forum delegation with Chairman FIEDMC, Mian Kashif Ashfaq.

There is a huge potential in Pakistan’s agriculture, livestock and food processing and seafood sectors for US companies and the US businessmen are ready to explore the new investment friendly business environment offered by the zone, President Pakistan American Business Forum (PBAF) Riaz Hussain said while talking to Chairman FIEDMC, Mian Kashif Ashfaq along with a delegation in Islamabad the other day.

PM Imran Khan to perform ground-breaking of first CPEC linked ‘Special Economic Zone’

The Allama Iqbal Industrial City is a prioritized Special Economic Zone (SEZ) of Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (FIEDMC). It is a state of the art mega project being developed as part of the SEZ of Faisalabad – a success story of Public Private Partnership. This is first CPEC linked Economic Zone that is being operationalised out of the nine zones that were conceived. Business community, in Punjab, led by FIEDMC has thus taken lead over similar initiatives being planned in KP and Sindh – Rashakai and Dhabeji in KP and Sindh respectively.

The major purpose of the meeting was to provide an opportunity to exchange the views and identify the areas in trade in which investment can be pumped, said a press release issued here the other day.

Mian Kashif Ashfaq briefed the delegation and apprised them of the investment opportunities and incentive packages being offered to the investors.

Read more: CPEC makes strides with project completions and accelerated pace for 2020

He said FIEDMC, following the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, was extending maximum facilities to the foreign and local manufacturers and providing all services to businessmen under one roof for ease of doing business in the province.

He further said all industries within the export processing zone would be exempted from tax for a period of 10 years and plants, machinery, raw material and other equipment would be imported duty-free.

It was a greatest opportunity to build our relations and US-Pak trade relations were reflecting positive figures, he said, adding that Pakistani exports to US had been increased by six percent in 2019 as compared to the same period of last year

He said that around Rs 400 billion foreign and local investments would be injected into various projects, which clearly indicate that investors had reposed complete confidence in the present regime.

“More than 25 Chinese companies had made agreements for investments in the industrial city,” he added.  Mian Kashif said, “The US has titled 2020 as Partners for Prosperity Year, which can only be materialised once we have an increase in people-to-people contact. Also, enhanced cooperation with key organisations in both countries is required to ensure cohesive and coordinated strategies in promoting U.S private sector interests in Pakistan.”

PBAF President Riaz Hussain highlighted the key objective of the forum with respect to Pakistan and US trade relations.

It was a greatest opportunity to build our relations and US-Pak trade relations were reflecting positive figures, he said, adding that Pakistani exports to US had been increased by six percent in 2019 as compared to the same period of last year and in 2018 the two way trade stood at $6.6 billion.

Read more: PM Khan envisions bringing people out of poverty with strong economy

He urged relaxation in tariffs for Pakistani products, adding that after effective measures to reinstate law and order and curbing money laundering, the business environment of Pakistan had improved significantly.

Later, the delegation members expressed satisfaction over rapid pace of development of Allama Iqbal Industrial City and M-3 project on priority.

Allama Iqbal Industrial City will be its third project with more than 3000 acres of land being developed

Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company

FIEDMC came into existence to benefit from Public Private Partnership (PPP) in 2004 when the idea of Special Economic Zones was first conceived by Jehangir Khan Tareen when he was a minister with the PMLQ government in Punjab.

FIEDMC, as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Entity was established by Govt. of the Punjab and formally registered u/s 42 of company’s ordinance 1984 with aim to promote economic development of Pakistan through the establishment of specialized industrial estates.

Tareen being a successful businessman himself understood the importance of incentives and facilitation through policy measures and infrastructure at one place. FIEDMC has grown into a big business idea since then. It first launched “Value Added City (VATC)” in 2007, then added Faisalabad Industrial City (M3 Industrial City) and has now more than 7000 acres of land under industrial development. Allama Iqbal Industrial City will be its third project with more than 3000 acres of land being developed.