The Dhabeji Special Economic Zone is to be completed by May this year, Khalil Hashmi, Pakistan’s ambassador to China, has said.

“New vitality is being infused into SEZs, with many concerns about their utility being effectively addressed,” he said while appearing on Rubaroo which was aired on Aaj News on Sunday.

“Significant progress has been made on the Rashakai SEZ, while work at the Dhabeji SEZ is advancing rapidly, with completion anticipated by May 2025. Additionally, gas supply is secured, and an independent electricity system is being developed on a fast track.”

The Dhabeji SEZ is being developed on 1,530 acres of land in Thatta, Sindh and is planned to be constructed in two phases comprising 750 acres for Phase I and 780 acres for Phase II, according to the planning ministry.

It added that the area has easy access to Port Qasim, enabling raw material import and finished goods export without incurring major inland transportation costs and saving time.

A Chinese business delegation has expressed interest in establishing a $1 billion medical city in the Dhabeji SEZ, the Sindh government said in a statement last month after a delegation of 12 major Chinese companies visited the area.

When asked if China had concerns over the pace of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, he said that it could be a “perception” but the facts show that China invested $26 billion in the country added 8,800MW of electricity to the grid and created 250,000 jobs opportunities.

“I believe the perception that the CPEC process has slowed down is not supported by the facts,” he said.

Hashmi stated that Pakistan hopes that security should improve as China wants to go for the “next level” which is industrialisation. He was of the view that it was not possible that any country would send its security forces for the security of its nationals.

He added that realignment of the Karakoram Highway would be done near Bhasha and Bunji as many sections of the road would come under water.

In response to a question, the envoy said that a lot of work has been done on 1,700 to 1,800 acres of land for China. He added that the slow progress on SEZ development was due to the “real estate model” for land acquisition.

The ambassador stressed the need for increasing exports, saying that the government has identified 21 sectors where the country can increase trade with China.

When asked why there was a high demand for donkeys in China, Hashmi said that such statements were not “factual.”

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He explained that the importing country uses the animals’ skin and some ingredients for traditional Chinese medicine.

“There is an official regulatory system with a registration process in place. Each application is thoroughly researched to determine if the facility operates as a slaughterhouse at a level that allows for reproduction. If it does not, a license cannot be granted,” he said.

“We have briefed China on this joint concern, and they understand the situation. We have informed them that the two terrorist attacks are linked to Afghanistan. Our communication is ongoing, and there is strong coordination and discussion between us. This collaborative effort continues to progress,” Hashmi said when asked does China accept Pakistan’s position on Fitna Al Khawarij operating from Afghanistan.