*ISLAMABAD – The second phase of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), apart of China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) would generateover 1.5 million job opportunities in the country.*
About 575,000 direct and over 1 million indirect jobs would be created inthe second phase of CPEC, which involves the establishment of SpecialEconomic Zones (SEZs) to be set up in each province of Pakistan.
“We have conducted a study to assess employment opportunities in four outof nine SEZs including KP’s Rashakai, Sindh’s Dhabeji, Punjab’s AllamaIqbal and Balochistan’s Bostan, with the state-run National Vocational andTechnical Training Commission (NAVTTC) to find out potential jobs andindustries in the SEZs,” said Muhammad Muzammil Zia, policy head of jobgrowth and human resource development in the Islamabad-based think-tankunder the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform, quoted *Xinhua*.
Sharing the initial details of the possible industries in the SEZs, Ziasaid the major industries in Punjab’s Allama Iqbal SEZ are expected to betextile, light engineering, pharmaceutical, steel, food processing andchemicals with a potential to create 290,000 direct jobs.
Whereas, KP’s Rashakai SEZ whose groundbreaking is likely to take place inDecember this year is likely to directly employ 150,000 people in lightengineering, marble, plastic and packing, gem and jewelry, food processingand steel industries.
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Menawhile, Balochistan’s Bostan SEZ is likely to produce 55,000 jobs inindustries including food processing, cooking oil, ceramics, gems andjewelry, marble, minerals, agriculture machinery, iron and steel, motorbikeassembling, electrical appliances and automobile. Whereas, Sindh’s DhabejiSEZ has a potential to create 80,000 jobs, he informed.
Earlier, it was learnt that CPEC’s energy projects have contributed $250million in taxes and provided 10,000 jobs by adding 14.5 percent of thetotal electricity output in NTDC system so far.
As per the official documents, CPEC energy cooperation has increased powersupply in Pakistan. Power generation of CPEC projects reached 17.728billion kWh, 14.5 percent of the total output in the NTDC system, whichcould supply over 33 million people on per capital power use basis.
