ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry and FAST University have agreed to collaborate on conducting research projects for the benefit of industry as the overall economy. This consensus was developed during a visit of FAST University students to ICCI.
The FAST University students would conduct research focusing on investment in CPEC special economic zones and their impact on economy, information about CPEC from government departments, impact of SEZs on environment and regional trade. They would conduct study on the total economic zones being established in the country with focus on SEZs being established in Punjab under CPEC, types of industries to be established in SEZs, incentives being offered to Chinese and Pakistani investors, procedures for setting up an industry and SEZs and any special incentive for local or foreigner investors.
They would conduct research on the agreements between the central government and local governments for total investment under CPEC, investment in SEZs, information gap analysis, obtaining exact data/ information about CPEC agreements and its impact, when and how Pakistan will pay back amount invested by China in Pakistan under CPEC and whether there was any grant included in the investment. They would study how many international players/countries would be participating in CPEC and in which sectors. The study would also cover the initiatives taken by the government for spreading the information about CPEC to private sector.
The students would conduct study on the environmental impact of SEZs under CPEC, shifting of pollution creating industries from China in SEZs in Pakistan and what planning Pakistan government was making to address/control the pollution factors. The study on the impact of pollution in air, water and health hazards as well as the role of pollution control agencies e.g. EPA in controlling pollution factors would also be conducted. The research on the impact of Pakistan’s exports on regional countries after the full execution of CPEC projects, any new thing in the Pakistan Export Policy Framework as well as which new countries shall be focused in the new trade policy to increase Pakistan’s trade and exports would also be conducted. The FAST University students would present research reports on above points to ICCI by the second week of November 2017.
Addressing the students, Sheikh Amir Waheed President, Muhammad Naveed Vice President and Nisar Ahmed Mirza Vice President, ICCI said that Chamber wanted to strengthen the academia-industry linkages for sustainable growth and hoped that collaboration between ICCI and FAST University would be a positive step in that direction.
