Port Qasim Garment City Project to Create 138,000 Jobs, Generate $2.2 Billion in Annual Exports

ISLAMABAD, Aug 17: Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has announced plans to establish a 400-acre apparel zone at Port Qasim, with the first phase projected to create 138,125 jobs and generate annual exports of around $2.2 billion.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, the minister made the announcement while chairing a meeting on the proposed garment city project. He said the export-oriented manufacturing cluster would focus on high-value apparel production and attract private-sector investment.

Under the project plan, the first phase would cover 250 acres, with 35 per cent allocated for internal roads, utilities and green areas. The project is envisaged as a public-private partnership.

The proposed commercial structure includes 32 industrial plots of five acres each. However, the plot size could be reduced to two or three acres to accommodate more investors and manufacturing units.

The Port Qasim Authority would provide infrastructure and utilities. Each industrial unit would have access to up to 400,000 gallons of water per day, two megawatts of on-grid electricity and 23,100 pounds of industrial gas per day at eight pounds per square inch (PSI), sufficient to support requirements for 10 tonnes of steam.

For the overall project, the planned utility capacity includes 13 million gallons of water per day, 64 megawatts of on-grid electricity and 750,000 pounds of industrial gas per day.

Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said private-sector participation would be a key component of the project. Under the plan, Pakistani textile and denim manufacturer Artistic Milliners would establish a manufacturing unit with an investment of more than $18 million, incorporating vertical integration and green technologies.

The proposed apparel zone would also have a one-window mechanism for exporters, including streamlined export processing, specialised customs desks and dedicated transport corridors.

The project aims to increase the average export value of garments to around $8 per piece, according to projections presented at the meeting.

The minister said the initiative was part of efforts to expand Pakistan’s industrial base and export capacity by integrating port infrastructure, utilities, customs facilities and private investment into the proposed apparel zone.

Source: Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Government of Pakistan.