PESHAWAR:The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government will participate in the Dubai International Expo in the United Arab Emirates with the aim to attract maximum foreign investment to the province and to highlight positive image of the province at the international level.
A meeting to discuss arrangements and preparations for participation in Dubai Expo was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan here on Tuesday.
Additional Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Amjad Ali Khan, Secretary Industry Humayun Khan, Director General Culture and Tourism Authority Kamran Afridi, Chief Executive Officer Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade Hassan Dawood and other concerned officials attended the meeting.
Important proposed projects of the provincial government would be presented in the Expo to attract foreign investment for their execution. These projects would include tourism, agriculture, industry, minerals, energy, infrastructure and information technology sector projects, the meeting members discussed.
To showcase the culture and local products of the province at the international level, items related to the cultural heritage and archeology of the province besides local products would also be featured in the Expo, they said.
The meeting was briefed about the arrangements of the provincial government for participating in Dubai Expo, proposed activities in the Expo and other related matters.
It was informed that 192 countries including Pakistan would participate in the Expo and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would participate in this international expo in January next year.
According to the initial tentative schedule, KP Pavilion will be set up in the Expo on January 1st, 2022, and various products of the province including leather, textile, handicraft, cottage and other products will be exhibited.
On 6th and 7th January 2022, Special Economic Zones Investment Conference on Rashkai Special Economic Zone, Ghazi Economic Zone, Chitral Economic Zone and the proposed Draban Special Economic Zone will be held.
Mines and Minerals Investment Conference will be held on 10th and 11th January coupled with an exhibition of gem stones.
A conference on tourism, culture and archeology will also be held on January 14th and 15th focusing on the Integrated Tourism Zones.
Similarly, a conference is also scheduled on January 18th & 19th, 2021, on the establishment of Crude Oil Refinery, LPG Storage, Bottling Plants and Power Projects, 22 MW Patrak Sheringal Hydropower Project, 47 MW Barikot Patrak Hydropower Project, 20 MW Gorband Khwar Hydro, 496 MW Curry Mushkoor Hydropower Project and 377 MW Gharit Sawer Hydropower Project.
The meeting was informed that a conference on Peshawar-DI Khan Motorway, Swat Expressway, Dir Motorway, Buner Expressway would be held on January 2, adding that exhibition would be held showcasing the initiatives under Billion Tree Tsunami project on January 23.
A conference on agriculture and livestock projects would also be held on January 29th and 30th with KP Food show as its important feature.
The meeting was further informed that a strategy for business to business model had also been formulated in which private sector projects through representative organizations of industrialists would also be showcased.
It was decided at the meeting that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade would take the lead with regard to arrangements for the participation of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in the expo.
The relevant departments were directed to finalize all their proposed projects to be showcased in the Expo by October 15.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan termed the Dubai Expo as a good opportunity to attract foreign investment to the province, and directed the concerned authorities to finalize such projects of the provincial government which would be likely to attract foreign investment.
The Chief Minister further directed that all arrangements and preparations for participation in the Expo should be finalized well in time and said that strict adherence to all the relevant rules and regulations of the provincial government in this regard should be ensured in all respects.