PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan directed the FATA Development Authority (FDA) to take practical steps for the establishment of five industrial estates for the economic betterment of tribal people.
He was chairing a meeting of the Committee on the Accelerated Economic Development of FATA. He also called for provision of Rs10 billion to FDA for the purpose of accelerating developmental initiatives in FATA.
The meeting was attended by ex-president of KPCCI Senator Nauman Wazir, TACCIKP President Shahidur Rahman, ex-federal secretary Salim Khan Jhaghra, advisor to chief minister Dilroz Khan, ex-president KPCCI Riaz Arshad, Javed Khattak from SMEDA, Haji Muhammad Afzal from Ashraf Ghee Industries, FDA Chief Executive Dr Fida Muhammad Wazir, Secretary L&O/P&D Shakil Qadir, Secretary Social Sector FATA Muhammad Tariq Khan and Additional Secretary Green FIFA for FATA Abid Wazir.
Mahtab Ahmed also directed for workable solution of all the issues in the establishment of small industrial estates in FATA territory by devising a proper mechanism among the government machinery and the private sector.
The governor was given a detailed briefing and was told that the FDA would establish five industrial estates at feasible locations in the north, central and south FATA for indigenous resource based mining and agro based industry. Moreover, any private limited company having more than 10 acres of land and employing 100 workers would also enjoy all facilities and exemptions as in the five designated industrial estates.
The governor was told that FATA would be divided into three zones, including most effected zone, moderately effected zone and least effected zone and in all the three zones economic incentives would be given according to the zone specification. It was also disclosed that FATA was constitutionally a sales and income tax free area. However, practically those taxes were charged at important stage and also when goods manufactured in FATA enter the settled areas markets.
It was also explained that no custom duty would be taken on machinery imported for the industrial units located in the designated industrial estates of FATA and more than 3 MW industrial units located anywhere in FATA even not in the industrial estate.
