The Chairman Senate, Sadiq Sanjrani on Friday invited businessmen and industrialists of Karachi to start export oriented business ventures in Balochistan particularly the Gwadar to explore untapped potential of the province.
Addressing the representatives of business and industrial communities of the Metropolis here at Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the chairman Senate said that basic infrastructure in Balochistan was being developed while many major roads were constructed to facilitate the business and industrial activities.
He said that Gwadar was the only other city in the country after Islamabad that was being developed under a master plan with provision of all the basic facilities.
Development of the port was at advanced stage, work was under progress in industrial area, issue of potable water has been resolved while power supply in the town would be linked with the national grid in this fiscal year as well, he elaborated.
Chinese investors were coming to Gwadar and setting up industrial units, Sanjrani informed and urged the business and industrial communities of Karachi to invest in trade opportunities offered at Gawadar and start export oriented businesses to take benefit of vast potential of trade.
Senate of Pakistan in collaboration with Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Studies (PIPS) was constituting a program with objectives like mobilization of the youth of the province and to instate and promote business-oriented approach among young population to enable them of starting their own business and utilize their capabilities for development of the country, Sanjrani said adding that cooperation of business and industrial communities of Karachi was required for the purpose.
Speaking on peace efforts in Afghanistan, chairman senate stated that Pakistan was playing its role for bringing sustainable peace in the neighbouring country and all the state institutions wanted to see a peaceful and progressive Afghanistan as peace and order in Afghanistan was vital for development and progress of the region.
Responding to demands of business community, the chairman senate underscored the need of facilitating the business and industry for achievement of the national development goals.
A debate would be initiated in the upper house to discuss recommendations by business fraternity on budget 2021-22 and replies would be sought from concerned mnstries, he assured.
Chairman Businessmen Group, Zubair Motiwala speaking at the occasion stated that Karachi’s share in national exports was 52 percent while more than 60 percent of the taxes were collected from the metropolis.
The city was facing a herd of the problems and there was dire need of allocating more funds for development of Karachi and resolving the issues, he said.
President KCCI, Shariq Vohra, informed that KCCI was the largest chamber of the country with over 25000 members and 7 town associations.
He pointed out that unplanned urbanization was eating way agricultural lands and Pakistan had to import agricultural products to fulfill needs.
He stressed the need of focusing on the issue and said that declining agricultural production would add burden over the foreign exchange and current account balance of the country.
