Engineering Post Report
As many as 17 industrial zones are being established in Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa for attracting huge local and foreign investment and create hundreds of thousands of employment opportunities by Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management Company .
Work on some of these industrial zones has already been started while on others is in the initial stages in a phased manner.
According to the information available from KP Economic Zones Development and Management Company sources, Nowshehra Economic Zones extension project foundation stone has been laid. It is spread over 76 acres of land on which more than 60 industrial units will be set up, investors desirous of setting up their industrial units in this industrial have already been issued allotment letters for the plots.
This economic zone is expected to generate more than 12 thousand direct and indirect employment opportunities and initially an investment of Rs 1.6 billion is expected.
The economic zone is located in the vicinity of Razakhel Dry Port and Peshawar Islamabad Motorway and highly conducive atmosphere is being provided here for establishing pharmaceuticals, food processing, construction, marble, granite and food processing industrial units.
Work is in progress on Rashakai Economic Zone which is being established under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) umbrella. This economic zone is spread over 1000 acres. As much as 80 per cent of jobs will be provided to the local people which will greatly help in elimination of unemployment in the area. Out of total area, 702 acres of land is reserved for setting up industrial units and commercial area will be constructed over 76 acres.
The company sources said that this industrial zone will be equipped with best infrastructure and modern facilities including common treatment plant, industrial shed, one widow facilities and also flats for the workers.
The federal government has already approved provision of 210 megawatt of power and 30 MMCFD gas for this economic zone. Initially, interim arrangement for 10 megawatt has been made for use in the development works and installation of pipeline is also in progress for supply of gas.
The estimated investment is one billion 63 crore dollars including foreign investment of 49.40 crore dollars. Industrial zone will create as much as 50 thousand direct employment opportunities and 1.50 lakh indirect jobs. More than1700 applications have been received from Chinese and Pakistani investor for allotment of plots for establishing their industrial units for which the process has already been started since December 2020. Rashakai Economic Zone is being developed under public-private partnership mode.
Investors in Rashakai Economic are being provided incentives according to industrial standards including no income tax for 10 years and machineries will also be duty free. Beginning from Rashakai Economic Zone, industrial units being established in it will be provided electricity at considerably cheaper rates out of 10 megawatt to be supplied by Mardan grid station.
Jallozi Industrial Economic Zone is spread over 1257 acres of land out of which the company has already received applications for 450 acres where electricity has been provided and work is on progress on setting up of 15 industrial units.
Besides Rashakai, Jallozai and Nowshehra Economic Zones, the Company is now also working on plans to offer Ghazi Industrial Zone project near Islamabad and Hattar, land has also been acquired for industrial zone in Chitral on which work on infrastructure facilities will be started shortly and Mineral City is also being established over 1000 acres over Palai, foundation stone of Dera Ismail Khan Economic Zone over 189 acres of land is also being laid shortly for setting up of 100 industrial units, southern districts of KP Bannu and Karak have world’s best gypsum reserves for which “Salt and Gypsum City” has been decided to set up at Bannu.
Risalpur Export Processing Zone has also been activated over 92 acres and LED Lights and Halal Food etc plants are being set up there and foreign investors are been approached for investment there.
Furthermore, “Marble City is also in progress of being established in tribal district of Mohmand , small industries units arealso being established in North Waziristan, South Waziristan and Khyber tribal districts.
