KARACAHI: The Sindh government has decided to launch Pakistan Textile City at Port Qasim from its resources in case the federal government decides to wind up the project.
This decision was taken by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah while presiding over a meeting here at the CM House. The meeting was attended by Minister Industries Manzoor Wassan, Chief Secretary Siddique Memon, Secretary Industries Rahim Soomro, Principal Secretary Naveed Kamran Baloch and others.
Briefing the chief minister Minister Industries Manzoor Wassan said that Pakistan Textile City Ltd (PTCL) is a public-private joint venture company. It was initiated in 2004 but the actual development work was started in 2007 with initial equity of Rs1.1 billion.
Mr Wassan said that the Sindh government contributed Rs127 to KWSB for dedicated water pipelines as its commitment to share 50 percent of cost with federal government which contributed only Rs199 million.
Mr Wassan said that the objective of the project was to boost export potential of value added textile products and it would create around 80,000 direct jobs and another 80,000 indirect jobs.
Talking about the shares in the company the Industries minister said that Sindh government owns 16 percent shares. He added that PQA issued allotment letter on August 27, 2006 on 50 years lease at the cost of Rs1 million percent.
Secretary Industries Rahim Soomro said the company availed a loan of Rs2.4 billion which was subsequently. The federal government has decided to wind up the project for which a number of meetings have been held in Islamabad.
The chief minister directed the chief secretary to talk to federal government. The Sindh government was ready to launch the project from its own resources. This is most important project which has vast potential to for employment and value addition.
The chief minister directed minister Industries to coordinate with the PTCL members and make necessary working to start the project.
