Anjum Nisar stresses Phase II can lower production costs and open new export markets
\n ISLAMABAD
\nThe Federation of Pakistan\u2019s Chambers of Commerce and Industry\u2019s Businessmen Panel (BMP) has called on the government to use the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a springboard for green industrialisation, arguing that only a pivot to sustainable production can deliver long-term economic growth.
\nIn a statement issued on here today, BMP chairman Mian Anjum Nisar said the government must weave renewable energy, low-carbon technologies and environmentally responsible manufacturing into every new corridor project if Pakistan wants to cut its import bill, improve competitiveness and protect the environment.
\nFPCCI former president noted that CPEC\u2019s initial focus on infrastructure and energy has created a platform for deeper industrial cooperation with China. Now, they said, Phase II offers a strategic opportunity to integrate green finance, eco-friendly industrial parks and modern supply chains.
\n \u201cPakistan has already benefited from Chinese investments in renewables, solar panels and electric vehicles, but these gains need to be expanded and systematised,\u201d the statement read. \u201cThe world\u2019s buyers are increasingly putting a premium on sustainability. If our industries lag behind, we risk losing export markets. This is about making Pakistan a credible player in the 21st century global economy.\u201d
\nAnjum Nisar said CPEC must not be treated as merely an extension of roads or power plants but as a vehicle for transforming how Pakistan produces and consumes energy. \u201cHigh energy costs, tariff volatility and dependence on imported fuels are strangling our manufacturing sector,\u201d he said. \u201cPhase II should prioritise renewable power, energy-efficient technologies and green Special Economic Zones. This would not only reduce Pakistan\u2019s carbon footprint but also stabilise energy costs and give our exporters a competitive edge. A green industrial base also makes it easier to meet the strict environmental and social standards that are now prerequisites for entering European, North American and Middle Eastern markets.\u201d
\nHe warned that inflationary pressures\u2014rising fuel, electricity and raw material costs\u2014are squeezing factories, pushing up consumer prices and undermining export competitiveness. Unless production becomes greener and more efficient, he cautioned, Pakistan\u2019s manufacturing base will struggle to survive global shocks. \u201cGreen industrialisation is not an environmental fad but an economic necessity to shield our industries from external shocks and rising costs,\u201d Anjum said. \u201c
\nIf we keep producing the old way, our cost of doing business will stay among the highest in the region and we will keep losing orders to countries like Vietnam, Bangladesh or Turkey which are embracing greener supply chains.\u201d
\nThe BMP leader urged the government to announce targeted incentives such as tax breaks, subsidised green finance and preferential treatment for companies embracing sustainable practices. They called for the creation of dedicated green industrial zones under CPEC Phase II, where clean energy, water recycling, waste management and eco-friendly supply chains are standard. Such special zones, they argued, would attract foreign direct investment, technology transfer and help build value-added exports. \u201cWe are not just asking for relief,\u201d the statement said. \u201cWe are offering a roadmap to make Pakistan a manufacturing hub for clean technology components, renewable energy equipment and low-carbon goods which the world is demanding.\u201d
\nAccording to BMP chairman, integrating green finance into CPEC\u2019s framework\u2014through green bonds, debt-for-nature swaps and concessional funding windows\u2014would enable Pakistan to tap into China\u2019s rapidly evolving climate finance ecosystem. Policymakers were also urged to coordinate across ministries to align industrial, energy, trade and environmental policies and to introduce clear regulations and standards for green technologies, streamlined approvals and capacity building for both workers and investors. The Panel said this alignment will reduce uncertainty for investors and accelerate project implementation.
\nAnjum Nisar emphasised that Pakistan\u2019s private sector is ready to commit investment and innovation but government support is essential. \u201cInvestors must be confident that regulatory risk is low and energy policies stable. We need subsidies or grants for first movers and a clear policy roadmap with minimum renewable energy shares in SEZs and mandatory efficiency standards,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cThere is a real appetite in our business community to shift to solar, wind, electric transport and circular manufacturing, but the state has to provide the enabling environment.\u201d
\nHe added that CPEC\u2019s green industrialisation potential also means job creation at home. \u201cGreen industrial zones can become incubators for thousands of small and medium enterprises producing components, materials and services for the new economy,\u201d Anjum said.
\n\u201cThis would lift incomes, create decent work and give our youth a future in high-tech, environmentally responsible industries rather than in low-wage, low-skill sectors.\u201d
\nThe BMP chief said that Pakistan has an opportunity to reposition itself from a commodity-based economy to a value-added, technology-driven one. With climate change already affecting agriculture and supply chains, adopting low-carbon pathways would also strengthen national resilience.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s no longer possible to separate economic policy from climate policy,\u201d the Panel said. \u201cCPEC Phase II can be the bridge between the two if we take the right decisions now.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Anjum Nisar stresses Phase II can lower production costs and open new export markets ISLAMABAD The Federation of Pakistan\u2019s Chambers of Commerce and Industry\u2019s Businessmen Panel (BMP) has called on the government to use the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a springboard for green industrialisation, arguing that only a pivot to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-504257","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-business"},"yoast_head":"\n