Karachi (Commerce Reporter) Significant progress has been made regarding the 4,000 acres of land of the Steel Milsl. Provincial Minister for Commerce and Industry Jam Ikramullah Dharejo has made it clear that the Steel Mill’s land will not be auctioned, but instead, a Chinese Special Export Economic Zone will be established on this land. The federal government will decide to offer land in the Special Economic Zone to Chinese investors at special rates. Furthermore, if the Steel Mill’s land is ever sold in the future, the Sindh government should receive a share of it. The Provincial Minister expressed these views during a conversation with a delegation from the Council of Economic and Energy Journalists (CEEJ) yesterday.Provincial Minister for Commerce and Industry Jam Ikramullah Dharejo stated that the Steel Mill’s land belongs to the Sindh government, which had originally provided it solely for setting up the Steel Mill. He informed that the Sindh government has decided to establish and operate the Steel Mill under a public-private partnership. However, regarding the Steel Mill’s liabilities, he clarified that the federal government is responsible for all dues.Jam Ikramullah Dharejo further informed that the Sindh government will be in contact with local investors, including those from Russia and other interested parties. Regarding Independent Power Producers (IPPs), he stated that Sindh’s position is clear; there is a need to review the agreements with IPPs, and these agreements should be renegotiated. He urged the federal government to resolve this issue as soon as possible.The Provincial Minister also mentioned that the country’s most modern Special Economic Zone, covering 2,000 acres, will be established on Hub River Road. This economic zone will also be established under a public-private partnership. He added that work has already commenced on Phase 3 of the Nooriabad Industrial Zone, covering 1,300 acres. The Provincial Ministry of Industry intends to create agri-processing zones in major cities of Sindh, aligning with Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s vision to establish new industrial zones in every district of Sindh. The Sindh government is continuously working to promote SMEs.He emphasized that the federal bureaucracy’s attitude towards Sindh’s development projects is not appropriate and needs to be corrected. The taxes collected from Sindh should be invested in Sindh’s development projects. Jam Ikramullah Dharejo also mentioned that the land records of all seven industrial zones in Karachi will be digitized soon and that the issue of agricultural tax should be handed over to the Sindh Revenue Board.He refuted the misconception that industries are not being set up in Sindh, highlighting that the service industries have established a 50-acre industrial unit in Nooriabad Industrial Zone after moving from Punjab. Despite Sindh producing the most gas, it suffers from the highest gas load shedding, which is unjust considering Sindh’s significant contribution to gas production. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has repeatedly raised this issue and written to the federal government, but no action has been taken.
