Nine economic zones to be established under CPEC: minister

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan here on Friday said that nine special economic zones would be established in different areas of the country, including in Bostan area of Balochistan under the umbrella of China Pakistan Economic Corridor.

During the Question Hour, Ali Muhammad told the Senate that a feasibility report for establishing special economic zone in Bostan had already been received added that he had no information about shifting of proposed zone in Bostan to Lasbila.

Responding to a question, the minister said that it was significant to mention that exact date and time for the start of work in the Bostan economic zone could only be ascertained after the receipt of economic zone application from the government of Balochistan to BOI.

Earlier, Chairman Board of Investment (BoI) Haroon Sharif had said the government was focusing on the establishment of the prioritized special economic zones (SEZs) under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on April 20.

Sharif had lauded the cordial relations between Pakistan and China, saying that the government wanted CPEC to be a multidimensional initiative, which would bring foreign direct investment parallel to infrastructure development.