KARACHI: Vice President of Pakistan Businesses Forum (PBF) Ahmad Jawad has said the businesspeople are the biggest supporters of the Belt and Road Initiative and host of one of the six planned corridors, and they are learning from the Chinese model.
“We are on our way to setting up different SEZ’s in our country which will provide opportunities for investors from China and other countries,” he said.
While welcoming the newly-appointed Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Nong Rong, the PBF vice president hoped that he would boost cooperation between the two friendly nations. He said the PBF would join hands with Ambassador Nong in enhancing the momentum of high-level exchanges between Pakistan and China in promoting Pakistani handicraft, horticulture, embroidery and traditional jewellery. Now the second phase of CPEC was crucial to strengthening the two countries’ bilateral trade, he said. Agriculture is one of the seven pillars of the long-term CPEC plan. It has been agreed that both countries will work on enhancing cooperation in the agriculture sector. Similarly both agreed to work together to produce high-quality inputs, especially seeds, which are direly needed in Pakistan.
The quality of seeds is of utmost importance for healthy production. Therefore, to improve the seed quality, a research institute would be established where quality seeds will be provided to the farmers.
China will assist Pakistan in developing an agro-industrial base. It would also pave the way for technology transfer. Cooperation would help Pakistani companies to secure business due to the presence of Chinese companies in their markets. Processing of agricultural produce is another weak area where China has started providing assistance to Pakistan. In this regard it would donate a date processing plant to Balochistan in accordance with the commitment to investing in areas of southern Balochistan.
Dates are an important produce of Balochistan but due to unsatisfactory processing facilities, every year the province loses a huge quantity of dates.
Onion, mango and meat processing are other areas which would get assistance from China. Ahmad Jawad also lauded the personal efforts of Chinese President Xi Jinping who generously supported Pakistan during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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