Experts call for streamlined oversight to enhance investor confidence in CPEC SEZs

ISLAMABAD (PEN) : At a high-level policy dialogue in Islamabad, Chinese businesses urged Pakistan to improve security, streamline investment processes, and maintain supportive policies to foster industrial growth. Wang Huihui, Chairman of the China Chamber of Commerce in Pakistan, highlighted the importance of a secure environment for Chinese investors and recommended adopting China’s Green SEZ model to promote eco-friendly industrialization. While a recent survey by the chamber showed a business climate index of 49.63—just below optimism levels—70% of Chinese firms remained hopeful about Pakistan’s future. Key speakers, including Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman of the Pakistan-China Institute (PCI) and Executive Director Mustafa Haider Syed, called for a single, autonomous authority to oversee SEZs under CPEC, warning that bureaucratic turnover and fragmented management hinder progress. They also noted Pakistan’s potential to attract investment in renewable energy and electric vehicles as Chinese firms shift to market-driven decisions. Dr Erfa Iqbal from Pakistan’s Board of Investment stressed growth opportunities in CPEC Phase II and ongoing efforts to attract Chinese investment, despite IMF recommendations to gradually phase out SEZ incentives.