ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday directed the authorities concerned to achieve targets set by the Mineral Development Framework (MDF) to get maximum benefits from minerals and natural resources of the country.

The prime minister emphasised the need for provision of electricity, gas, tax relief and other facilities to Special Economic Zones (SEZs) being developed under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Presiding over a meeting of the MDF, he said the mineral sector held a huge potential and offered good returns for investment as it could contribute to overall economic growth of the country.

He emphasised that coordinated efforts between the federation and provinces were required for development of the mineral sector in the country.

Asks officials to ensure provision of electricity, gas, tax relief and other facilities in SEZs

The prime minister directed that a focal person be appointed at the earliest to act as a bridge between the federal and provincial governments and to supervise implementation of the mineral development framework.

He said international models be studied for lesson learning and capacity building of indigenous human resource to be employed for mineral development.

The prime minister directed that goals and targets of the mineral development framework be completed within their allocated timelines.

Earlier, the petroleum secretary briefed the meeting on the “strategic plan for mineral development”.

The meeting was informed that at present the mineral sector contributed less than one per cent to the GDP and implementation of the strategic plan would raise the share of this sector to 10 per cent of the GDP over the next 15 years. The plan consists of harmonising federal and provincial efforts, technical outreach, database development, fiscal incentives, training of indigenous human resources and legal framework. The strategic plan has been further categorised into short-, medium- and long-term targets.

The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Shaukat Fayyaz Tarin, Muhammad Hammad Azhar, Asad Umer, Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razaq Dawood, Special Assistant to PM Dr Shehbaz Gill, DG of Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) and senior federal and provincial government officers.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2021