Peshawar: August 31, 2025: Provincial Secretary of Industries, Commerce, and Technical Education, Masood Ahmad has said that in the second phase of CPEC, the transformation of technology will not only reduce production costs but will also earn Pakistan valuable foreign exchange through exports to Afghanistan and Central Asian countries. Plans for a cargo train from Kohat to Afghanistan and Central Asian countries are currently under review.He expressed these views during a media talk on the occasion of his visit to the China Window, the Chinese Cultural Center established in Peshawar. The Secretary of Industries toured various galleries of China Window, signed the Friendship Wall, and recorded his impressions in the guest book, describing Pakistan-China friendship as everlasting. Masood Ahmad stated that establishing industries in the province through a one-window operation is the government’s top priority. Legislation is underway, and very soon, after amendments in the Provincial Assembly Act, industrialists will be provided one-window facilities.
He added that following the visit of the Chinese Foreign Minister to Pakistan and his meetings with senior leadership, it is expected that not only will law and order improve in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but investors from China and around the world will also come to invest in the province.
In response to a question, the Provincial Secretary said that the perception that factories in the province closed due to the provincial government is incorrect. There are multiple reasons for factory closures, which are being reviewed. However, in the future, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s importance for trade will increase, industrialists must also demonstrate integrity in trade. Masood Ahmad described the CPEC project as vital for the national economy and expressed hope that in the second phase, not only will factories be set up in the Rashakai Special Economic Zone of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but employment opportunities will also be created. He further stated that if the train from Kohat to Afghanistan and Central Asian states starts, it will significantly boost Pakistan’s economy. Work on this project has already begun. Masood Ahmad described the Pakistan-China Friendship Center, China Window, as a state-of-the-art facility, stating that it plays an extremely positive and constructive role in promoting people-to-people contacts between the two countries.
