20000113

Long-term policy

for Risalpur EPZ

directed

PESHAWAR: The NWFP Minister for Industries, Labour, Mineral Development and Commerce, Owais Ahmed Ghani, has directed the authorities of Sarhad Development Authority (SDA) and other concerned quarters involved in the establishment of Export Processing Zone (EPZ) at Risalpur to adopt long-term solid policy.

He expressed these views during inspection of the EPZ and Risalpur Industrial Estate on Wednesday.

The minister said that learning from the past experience must be used for the long lives of such valued project of national importance and it would be in accordance with the present and future time challenges so that we could compete in the international market.

The industrialists present on the occasion demanded of the government to establish permanent trade relations with Afghanistan and Central Asian countries so as to brighten the future of industrial development and trade in the Frontier province. They were of the opinion that even the Afghan transit trade should be linked with EPZ, Risalpur.

Expressing concern over the present policy explained in the briefing, the industries minister stressed for the establishment of a committee comprising industrialists, commercial exporters, traders, export marketing persons and other relevant quarters and stressed that the new policy should be prepared in the light of its recommendations.

He also directed that negative industries must be identified so that the new investors should not waste their energies.

Owais asked the authorities to undo all the barriers that hurt the investors in the past.

Referring to the provision of different facilities, the minister assured that the quarters concerned would be contacted as soon as possible to solve these once for all.

Later, the minister also inspected the Khandar mineral site near Nowshera, where the number one quality of pink marbles and lime stone are produced.ÑAPP