KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that his government has finalised a plan to establish China-Pakistan Industrial Zone (CPIZ) at Dhabeji and develop Keti Bandar Project for prosperity of people of Sindh.
He said while talking to Chinese delegation led by Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong here at the CM House, said a statement on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by Provincial Ministers Nisar Khuhro and Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, Acting Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, Secretary Energy Agha Wasif and others.
The chief minister said that he has allocated land at Dhabeji to establish China-Pakistan Industrial Zone. This zone would attract Chinese and other investment and it would be very near to Karachi and the proposed project of Keti Bandar for trade through sea and road routes, he added.
He said that his team led by Secretary Energy Agha Wasif had recently visited China to attend an important transport related meeting. They pleaded the case of Keti Bandar in the follow up meetings and now it has been included in the minutes of meeting which means the proposal of the project has been made official, he added.
He said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting is scheduled to be held next month in China. “I have already directed my team to prepare detailed feasibility of Keti Bandar and prepare it as a commercial project to present there,” he said and added hopefully it would be included in the CPEC if China ambassador supported the Sindh government,” he urged the Chinese envoy.
The Chinese ambassador asked the CM Sindh that he would support him because “you are dynamic, hardworking and visionary, definitely” I would support you but by the time send me details of the project, he asked the chief minister. The chief minister giving details of the Keti Bandar project said that there would be a coal-jetty to export coal and coal-fired power plants would also be installed there in the first phase.
Power plant needs fresh water which is not available at Thar Coalfield. Fresh water is available at Keti Bander and power generation would not a problem there, he said and added a railway line from Keti Bander to Thar Coalfield would be laid to transport coal from Thar for power plant and export, he said.
He also briefed him on the second phase of the project in which a full-fledged seaport would be established to trade with other countries. Talking about the China-Pakistan Industrial Park he said that he was keen to take it up in the CPEC so that its infrastructure could be developed.
The area between Gharo to Dhabeji is an ideal place for industrial development. It is fabulous as it is connected through road network and sea routes. The Chinese Consul General, Wang Yu, Deputy Consul General Mu Yongpend and other senior Chinese official were in the delegation. Syed Murad Ali Shah hosted lunch for the visiting Chinese delegation.
.jpg)
