PESHAWAR:The provincial cabinet of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has accorded approval to extend the tenure of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management Company (KP-EZDMC), Javed Iqbal Khattak for another period of three years.

The cabinet granted the approval during a meeting held here with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair on Tuesday. Besides, members of the provincial cabinet, the administrative secretaries of all departments attended the meeting.

Javed Iqbal Khattak, who has over 25 years’ experience in the development of industrial sector was appointed as CEO of the company on February 2020 had assumed charge of his responsibilities on March 20, 2020.

Before, joining KP-EZDMC as CEO, he was serving as General Manager Out-Reach (GMOR) of Small & Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) and remained Provincial Chief (PC) of the authority for a period of over 15 years.

In the capacity of the Provincial Chief SMEDA, he has successfully implemented a Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) funded Economic Revitalization of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA (ERKF). Under the project, he had distributed a grant of over Rs.1 billion among the terrorism and natural disasters affected SMEs of KP and newly merged districts of the former Federally Administered Tribal Area.

Javed Iqbal Khattak is the third CEO of the KP-EZDMC and first who is not only going to complete his term, rather has been given another term due to his out-standing performance.

During briefing on the performance of the company and its sitting CEO Javed Iqbal Khatak, the cabinet was told that nine out of 19 Economic Zones have been launched whereas work on the launching of five more Economic Zones is in progress. An investment to the tune of Rs. 340.00 billion is expected in these Economic Zones.

During the period of the sitting CEO, 1672 industrial units have been established in the economic zones while 167 dysfunctional units have also been restored. Moreover, 363 Industrial plots have also been allotted in Special Economic Zones. Similarly, these Industrial activities are expected to generate 180000 direct employment opportunities in the province.

The chief minister while lauding the overall performance of KP Economic Zones Development and Management Company (KP-EZDMC) directed the concerned authorities for result-oriented steps to further improve the performance of EZDMC and to ensure the timely completion of the ongoing developmental projects.