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Thread: Industrial Plots For Overseas Pakistani's

  1. #1
    The other day a serious columnist stated whatever from our beloved country may come as a strange news it should not surprise any of us. And my life experience has shown it was true.
    Government for the last 15 years is crying for industrial development. Appealing both to Overseas Pakistanis and locals to invest in industries to make industry grow. For this purpose different industrial zones have in the past been introduced and continuously are being established new. But are actually we honestly interested that right people should come forward and invest? Or are we making bureaucratic jokes?

    Before coming to my point I may introduce one of my friend Mr. Abdul Qaddus. He is resident of Sialkot having now obtained Arab nationality. He is a banker turned big businessman. When in 1990s our Government appealed Overseas Pakistanis (Ops) to invest in Pakistan, he sold his UAE business and transferred all his money for establishment of Pakistan’s first CNG Station at GT Road Gujranwala. At that time even our government bureaucracy did not know what were the documentation requirements for a CNG Station and which departments are involved. It took him about two years in completing these formalities as whenever he thought he now had met full requirements it dawned on him only then that now another new department was involved from where he was to get NOC or this and that approval. He was the first person who imported particular specifications special machinery from abroad. In his words at each step it appeared to him that functionaries had eyes more on his pocket than the CNG station. At some but only on a few places we met with very nice co-operation and assistance. After installation of the first he wanted to install similar stations at Peshawar, Lahore and Karachi but suffering through hands of income tax he could not bear and shed of this idea and concentrated fully on his business in the Arab country of his residence. Last month Pakistan’s leading daily which also publishes a weekly page for Overseas Pakistanis carried out a survey in UAE. Ex-President or Vice President of a Pakistan Association there told the newspaper that he wants to establish a CNG Station in Pakistan and has obtained NOC Clearance from eleven Departments but so far he has not even been able to start construction of the station.

    My above friend Mr. Abdul Quddus despite having very bad experience again out of patriotic sentiment as though he is a foreign national today but Pakistan has not died in his heart after seeing an advertisement on Overseas Pakistanis Foundation web site desired to establish some industry in the Sundar Industrial Estate being established near Lahore. Yesterday 28 September with the help of OPF he got the application form. Plot cost is Rs. 3.5 million per Acre whereas much better plots can be obtained at much cheaper rates. Now hold your breath, he is to pay 30% advance and merely within 90 days to pay the balance. What a wonderful attractive long 90 days incentive gap? Practically it would be more easy for an applicant to pay full at once rather than in 90 days. Immediately he is to take possession and within 6 months to complete the project and in 18 months to start production.

    Keeping in view the statement of above UAE person who had obtained clearance from 11 departments and still has not been able to start can any fool expect ordering of machinery, shipment of machinery, construction of plant, installation of machinery and above all contacting 10 to 20 departments, applying for their requirements all in these 18 months? Has the government or Punjab Government which has established this industrial estate opened some office (practically) where under one window under the one single roof (as is in UAE) where all government requirements for establishment of industry would be granted? My friend Abdul Quddus threw the Form in my presence with remarks to its staff to file it. In 18 months production to start? Only in our beloved Pakistan bureaucracy can prescribe such conditions. My friend Mr. Abdul Quddus not knowing initially where the Sunder Industrial estate was addressed his intention to Pakistan Embassy there requesting to help him get a Form. His written request on his company letter head was by hand delivered to Pakistan Embassy. A week back when he met the Consulate on a condolence meeting on enquiry he was told his letter had not reached the Embassy. Knowing well Pakistani Embassy attitude he separately seeked OPF help who took immediate interest in providing him the Form. Two days from today (01 October) he is proceeding to Saudi Arabia to see the possibility of investing that amount kept for Sunder Industrial Estate now in Saudi Arabia.

  2. #2
    Imagine working so hard and then investing....
    and this negative response...

    Would another person invest after these bad experiences.......?

  3. #3
    no way

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