By Tahir Ali

 

SWAT, Mar. 25 (Gwadar Pro)—China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is not only a “gateway to prosperity” for the whole region, but it is also in line with the sustainable development goals (SDGs) that would bring broad “socio-economic and industrial transformation” in the region, said Asim Ayub, Project Director Industrial Cooperation Federal Board of Investment (BOI).

 

“CPEC Industrial Cooperation (IC) is a long-term endeavor, and it is picking up pace, lately,” Mr. Ayub said while representing  BOI as keynote speaker at the International Silk Road Summit, organized by SDGs Academy Private Limited at Malam Jabba, Swat. “It is a pleasure to share with you all that CPEC Industrial Cooperation is all-inclusive in its scope and open to third party participation,” he added.

 

Asim Ayub stated that due to Covid-19 pandemic, connectivity among nations of the world has been redefined and he added, “CPEC under the umbrella of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) could play a unifying role in bringing the economies of the region together”.

 

According to him, Pakistan and China had agreed to launch industrial cooperation under CPEC in 2016 during the sixth Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting. Both countries had also agreed to establish nine SEZs across Pakistan and Mr. Ayub added that the federal BOI and National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) China were assigned to carry forward the initiative of industrial cooperation.

 

Rashakai Special Economic Zone (RSEZ) is one of the economic zones that is all poised to usher in economic activities in KP. The government has completed all preparations for the groundbreaking of RSEZ that would take place shortly.