LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said on Saturday that 10 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are being established across Punjab wherein a 10 years tax holiday will be granted to investors, saying the Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project (RUDA) and the Lahore Central Business District Authority (CBD) would prove to be the game-changer projects.
“As many as 3,000 industries have expressed interest in RUDA while the Lahore Central Business District Authority (CBD) has received over 700 million dollars investment offers.”
The Punjab CM said the tallest skyscraper of Pakistan would be built in the CBD, saying government offices would be established in the vertical buildings of CBD.
Punjab CM Ch Pervaiz Elahi expressed the views during a meeting with a 15-member delegation comprising eminent industrialists and famous business personalities of Great Britain. Matters pertaining to investment in agriculture, livestock, poultry and other sectors came under review and it was agreed by the British industrialists to enhance cooperation for investment in Punjab.
The delegation, led by Zubair Wali Esa, Lord Wajid and Altaf Khan, was comprised of Haroon Abdullah Patel, Hassan Ahmad Munshi, Ilyas Ismail Rehmani, Siraj Ahmad Patel, Muhammad Sadiq, Ayub Patel, Muhammad Tayyib, Muhammad Asim, Rafique Buksh, Doctor Yaqoob, Musa Patel, Shakoor Ahmad, Anwaar Ghani, and Jaffar Iqbal.
The British industrialists expressed their keen interest in CBD, RUDA and other projects. The British delegation lauded vision and endeavours of Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi and expressed their profound gratitude to him for offering splendid hospitality. On the occasion, the CM said: “We need to believe in ourselves and we can reach the destination of progress by utilising all our resources and capabilities.”
CM Elahi disclosed that the Punjab government would arrange road shows for the promotion of RUDA and in UK to attract foreign investment, saying that complete protection would provided to foreign investors in Punjab. He revealed that the Punjab govt was set to launch a ”One Stop Shop Service” for the foreign investors, adding that investment opportunities were available in various energy projects including Off Grid Hydel Power Project.
“The investors from Saudi Arabia and Malaysia are taking keen interest in the RUDA project”, Ch Pervaiz Elahi stated and added that residential and commercial districts would be established in RUDA. He said nine waste treatment management plants and seven small and big barrages would be built in the RUDA project. “The Chahar Bagh residential block will be an example of its own.”
The Punjab CM informed that government offices would be established in the vertical buildings of CBD. Known British investor Zubair Wali Esa while talking on the occasion said that they had received profound love in Punjab the moment they reached here. Lord Wajid Khan acknowledged that CM Pervaiz Elahi held a highly appreciable vision for the progress of Punjab. Other investors stated that the Pakistani projects can be presented across the globe by bringing improvements in the branding and marketing techniques.
On the occasion, the Secretary Industries along with heads of the RUDA and CBD briefed the degelation members in detail on various projects and business opportunities in Punjab.
Punjab Chief Secretary Abdullah Khan Sumbal, Principal Secretary to CM Muhammad Khan Bhatti, GM Sikandar, Rasikh Elahi, Secretary Industries, the PBIT Chairman, its CEO, the RUDA CEO and other officers concerned were present on the occasion.
