The Karakoram mountain range in Pakistan. Pakistan’s current SEZ law hasn’t been nearly as successful as it could be, according to Politas team member Morial Shah.
When building a special economic zone, governments have the opportunity to create something totally new and exciting for a community and nation. SEZs often offer the hope of innovation, technological progress, and policy reform. Countries adapting new SEZ laws almost always promise an economic stimulus. In many cases, special economic zones offer exactly that; but as a public policy consulting firm specializing in SEZs, we know a lot can happen between the promises and the results.
It all depends on how you set up the project to function.
That's what the latest op-ed from Politas team member Morial Shah discusses so well. Morial is from Pakistan and is a legal academic, policy consultant, and legislative drafter, as well as a full-time faculty member at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi.
"SEZs do not work magic," she says in the article. "They are neither good nor bad for the economy. They are what we make of them."
She argues that Pakistan's current SEZ law has not been nearly as successful as it could be. To support her case, she describes the two types of successful SEZ models, outlines the dangers of bureaucracy, and calls for SEZs "that allow space for disruption and innovation."
That’s what we do here at Politas. As a leading legal and public policy consulting firm with a specialty in SEZs, we know what makes a successful program thrive. We build a legal framework that encourages invention and reform and addresses problems unique to each nation considering an SEZ program.
You can read Morial's op-ed at The Express Tribune.
If you would like to discuss building a successful special economic zones project, contact us today.