CPEC's special economic zone to create 200k jobs for Pak
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Islamabad: A special economic zone (SEZ) constructed, as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), at Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province will create over 2,00,000 job opportunities for the locals, says Javed Khattak, CEO of the state-owned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management.
On Thursday, he told the media that the Rashakai SEZ is prioritised as a special economic park with an area of 1,000 acres near the provincial capital of Peshawar, Xinhua news agency reported.
Khattak said that the SEZ would be a milestone in implementing industrial cooperation under the CPEC framework and becoming an important trade hub. He added that the SEZ would have pharmaceuticals, textile, food and beverages, steel and various engineering-related industries. Online applications for it are open, he says.
He further said that the location of the zone is excellent, which connects Pakistan to Afghanistan, which will be utilised ideally. The zone stores abundant natural resources that will find new markets, thanks to the province's linkage to CPEC routes.
The CPEC is Chinese President Xi Jinping's flagship project of $62 billion. It is a Belt and Road Initiative that aims to connect Asia, Africa and Europe through a vast network of highways, rail lines and sea lanes. The corridor also connects the Chinese city of Kashgar with Pakistan's Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea.