KARACHI: Chinese and Pakistani diplomats signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) here for five projects in transport, health, energy, and agriculture, with support from the Sindh government.
The agreements include local assembly of electric cars, local manufacturing of solar panels, production of slow-release fertilisers, algae farming, and the establishment of a ‘medical city’ in the Dhabeji Special Economic Zone.
Chinese and Pakistani investors will sign a MoU that has been proposed by Pakistan Renewable Energy Resources.
Over 50 Chinese cos to invest $1.4bn in Sindh projects
Sindh Energy Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah hosted this signing ceremony in the office attended by Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon and Special Assistant to Chief Minister Syed Qasim Naveed Qamar.
Chinese investors, on the occasion, maintained that a delegation of investors from China visited Sindh and had a meeting with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. The investors also met with President Asif Ali Zardari, where the Chinese ambassador was also present.
During the meeting, Asif Ali Zardari assured that the governments of Pakistan and Sindh would provide full support to Chinese investors wherever they choose to invest in the country.
Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said that the friendship of China and Pakistan is of exemplary nature. He said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had laid its foundation. He said that in 2008, during the PPP government, President Asif Ali Zardari had started the project of CPEC. He said that China is the destination of his most frequent visits. Despite the opposition at that time, President Zardari envisioned CPEC not just as a corridor but as a way to bring the two nations closer and enhance Pakistan’s economy.
Memon said that Pakistan has attained the top position in global rankings for Public-Private Partnerships, which he credited to Sindh province. He explained that Sindh has executed and implemented major projects through the Public-Private Partnership model. He said several such mega initiatives are working well across the province.
He said investors have shown interest in setting up a state-of-the-art ‘medical city’ in Pakistan, and the Sindh government has assured them of all possible support.
Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Qasim Naveed Qamar said that granite was being exported from Pakistan, and after processing in other countries, was sold back in the local market. He emphasised that the government would make all efforts to ensure that granite processing is carried out within the country.
He said that Pakistan has vast storehouses of natural wealth, recalling that Thar granite material has been utilized for the construction of the FTC building. However, Memon further pointed out that the Thar region has reserves of tens of billions of tons of coal, where, under the estimates of the experts this coal can generate economical electricity by which it will be well sold for at least a couple of centuries.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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