- CM Maryam meets JETRO chairman, offers Japanese firms space in Nawaz Sharif IT City, stresses partnerships in labour training aligned with Japanese industry needs
LAHORE/TOKYO:Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has invited Japanese investors to set up manufacturing and assembly units in Punjab’s 20 operational special economic zones (SEZs).
CM Maryam stated this while meeting with Norihiko Ishiguro, Chairman of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) on Tuesday. The Punjab Chief Minister declared that the province can become a major manufacturing hub for the Middle East and Africa with its vast market, Special Economic Zones (SEZs), and skilled youth. She said that Punjab provided free land, tax exemptions, and joint venture opportunities with both public and private sector companies. The Punjab CM further offered Japanese firms space in the Nawaz Sharif IT City and stressed partnerships in labour training aligned with Japanese industry needs.
She said that “Pakistan is a country with a majority of youth. We want Japanese companies to support us in making our youth skilled.” She also emphasized expanding bilateral trade between Punjab and Japan.
The Punjab CM noted progress on the Nawaz Sharif IT City’s twin tower project, which has already drawn interest from global IT firms. She stressed enhancing business-to-business linkages and underlined Punjab’s capacity to supply surgical instruments, leather goods, sports products, and premium basmati rice to Japan.
CM Maryam Nawaz Spends Busy Day in Tokyo
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz spent a busy day in Tokyo. She remained busy for 16 hours in the official engagements during her 5-day official foreign visit and discussed matters pertaining to development projects with the Japanese officials till 12 o’clock midnight.
She visited various institutions relating to urban development projects. She was briefed about the Japanese government methods being carried out for clean water, sewerage, wastewater treatment, environmental improvement, and saving the people from toxic carbon.
She visited the historic port city of Yokohama to ascertain how Japan has transformed this coastal industrial city into a modern industrial city. She sought information from the perspective of modernizing Lahore and other industrial cities of Punjab.
She also visited the ancient “Red Brick Warehouse” and inspected a center for teaching skills to the working-class children. She also attended a major event of the Pakistani community in Japan.
