KARACHI: Chinese and Pakistani diplomats signed memorandums of understanding (MoU) on five projects in the areas of transport, health, energy and agriculture in Karachi, with support from the Sindh government. The agreements include local assembly of electric vehicles, local manufacturing of solar panels, production of slow-release fertilisers, algae farming, and establishment of a medical city in the Dhabiji Special Economic Zone.
Chinese and Pakistani investors will sign a memorandum of understanding proposed by Pakistan Renewable Energy Resources Corporation. The signing ceremony was hosted by Sindh Energy Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah in the office where the ceremony was held, which was attended by Senior Sindh Energy Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon and Special Assistant to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qasim Naveed Qamar.
On this auspicious occasion of signing the MoU with Chinese investors, while speaking to the media, Sindh Senior Minister and Sindh Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transport, Sharjeel Inam Memon, confirmed that a delegation of investors from China had visited Sindh and met with Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah.
He said that the Sindh government will provide all possible assistance to Chinese investors in any field they wish to invest. Investors also met former President Asif Ali Zardari, where the Chinese ambassador was also present. During the meeting, Asif Ali Zardari stressed that the governments of Pakistan and Sindh will provide full support to Chinese investors wherever they choose to invest in the country.
Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said that the friendship between China and Pakistan is of exemplary nature. He said that martyr Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the one who laid its foundation stone. He said that in 2008, during the PPP government, President Asif Ali Zardari initiated the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. He said China is a destination he visits frequently. Despite the opposition at the time, President Zardari envisioned CPEC not only as a corridor but as a way to bring the two countries closer together and boost Pakistan’s economy. He stated that Chinese investors have shown interest in investing in various sectors. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, Syed Qasim Naveed Qamar, accompanied the delegation on a visit to Dhabiji Special Economic Zone, where investors showed keen interest and expressed their desire to set up industries. He pointed out that the Dabiji Economic Zone is the only zone linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said that Pakistan achieved first place in the global rankings for public-private partnerships, which he attributed to Sindh province. He explained that Al-Sanad has implemented and implemented major projects through the public-private partnership model. Many of these large initiatives are working well across the province, he said.
He said that investors have shown interest in establishing a modern medical city in Pakistan, and the Sindh government has assured them of all possible support.
He also referred to the government’s initiative to launch electric taxis to create job opportunities for the youth. The government issued a notification to launch the scheme on the directions of President Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former President Asif Ali Zardari. It will provide livelihood opportunities for thousands of young people in the country. This taxi service will help the environment by reducing emissions and providing transportation facilities to passengers at cheaper rates. The Head of Investment Department explained the main location of the Investment Department throughout the process. Qasim welcomed Naveed Qamar, who has worked well since assuming charge and deserves appreciation. The minister stated that their goal is to increase the relationship between Pakistani and Chinese businessmen, so that they can exchange business models easily and thus benefit from this relationship.
He said that the visit of Chinese investors was successful, and added that China is a sister country with which Pakistan has excellent relations.
He said that China always supports Pakistan in difficult times. He also said that establishing more industries will lead to more job opportunities. He said that establishing a medical city alone would provide job opportunities for fifty thousand people. He said Pakistan could not depend on government jobs and had to expand industrial opportunities. While responding to a question, Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said that the Sindh government will extend full cooperation to investors in this medical city.
Stating that a memorandum of understanding is being signed for this project, he said that products made in Pakistan will also be exported to other countries, which will benefit the country. He also noted that there is a ten-year tax exemption for industries established in the Dhabiji Economic Zone, which provides great relief to businessmen. This initiative aims to support all investors who choose to do business in Dhabiji Special Economic Zone. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Qasim Naveed Qamar said that the granite was exported from Pakistan and after being processed in other countries, it was sold again in the local market. He stressed that the government will make every effort to ensure that the granite processing process is carried out within Pakistan itself.
He referred to another inquiry stating that Pakistan possesses enormous stores of natural resources, recalling that the Thar granite material was used in the construction of the Federal Trade Commission building. Mr. Memon further points out that the Thar region has reserves of tens of billions of tons of coal, which, according to expert estimates, can generate economic electricity from which it can be sold well for at least two centuries.
Energy, Planning and Development Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said in a press conference that enrichment is a basic requirement.
He said that a coal gasification plant will be established on 200 acres of land, which will significantly increase energy production. Solar parks are also being constructed, which will be of great help to the energy sector. He stressed that electricity produced from coal will be more important in filling the country’s energy deficit. He said that the Sindh government will fix the prices of electricity produced through solar parks and people will be able to buy electricity at Rs 18 per unit from those parks. Electricity rates will be determined by SEPRA (Sindh Energy Regulatory Authority) and STDC (Sindh Transmission and Distribution Corporation).
In response to a question, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that there are three federal representatives in K-Electric, but there is no one from Sindh.
He explained that although there is a mechanism for load shedding and tariffs, Sindh has no representation and as a result, the province has no say in the decision-making process. He further stressed that the Sindh government wants to make cheap electricity available to the public and this is also the vision of President Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
