ISLAMABAD, 16 April, 2021 (TON): On Thursday, a top official Javed Khattak asserted that the special economic zone (SEZ) being constructed in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will create over 200,000 job opportunities for the locals.

The Rashakai SEZ in the province is prioritized as a special economic park spreading over an area of about 1,000 acres near the provincial capital of Peshawar, said the Chief Executive Officer of the state-owned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management Company, Javed Khattak told the media on Thursday.

The SEZ, a milestone of the implementation of industrial cooperation under the CPEC framework, will become an important trade hub, Khattak said.

The CPEC is a flagship $62 billion project of Chinese President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that aims to connect Asia, Africa and Europe through a vast network of highways, rail lines and sea lanes.

However, the official said that the SEZ will have pharmaceuticals, textile, food and beverages, steel and various engineering related industries, and online applications for it are open.