Unfortunately, the Pakistani legal system as a whole lacks in these facets. They provide an array of incentives ranging from tax incentives to regulatory incentive and often on-site residence. However, for the SEZs to operate separately, efficiently and effectively, the government should tailor specialised legislation specific for their operation. Unless the aforementioned legal and commercial challenges are not addressed, the participation of domestic investors would remain doubtful, let alone foreign investors. Lastly, it would be encouraging for local and international investors investing in SEZs if they are offered an integrated platform with an independent regulatory and legal system and a specialised infrastructure, which should act as a single point of contact for end-to-end client servicing.

Source: The Express Tribune April 14, 2019 04:30 UTC