Junaid Anwar Chaudhry Says PQA Garment City Targets Climate Resilience
Islamabad, Aug 17: Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has announced plans for a 400-acre apparel zone at Port Qasim Authority (PQA), with the first phase projected to create more than 138,000 jobs and generate annual exports of around $2.2 billion.
Chairing a meeting on the proposed garment city, the minister said the export-oriented manufacturing cluster would focus on high-value apparel production and attract private investment.
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Talking to Climate Data Book, Junaid Chaudhry said the project also provided an opportunity to incorporate climate resilience and environmental safeguards into Port Qasim’s industrial expansion.
“Dedicated green areas, green manufacturing technologies, efficient resource use and climate-resilient infrastructure could help reduce the environmental footprint of the garment sector,” he said.
He said the project would prioritise water efficiency, wastewater treatment and reuse, renewable energy, energy-efficient production, solid-waste management and measures to reduce industrial emissions.
According to the project plan, the first phase would cover 250 acres, with 35 per cent allocated to internal roads, utilities and green areas. The project is envisaged as a public-private partnership.
The proposed commercial structure comprises 32 industrial plots of five acres each, although the plot size could be reduced to two or three acres to accommodate more investors and manufacturing units.
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The Port Qasim Authority (PQA) would provide infrastructure and utilities. Each industrial unit would have access to up to 400,000 gallons of water a day, two megawatts of on-grid electricity and 23,100 pounds of industrial gas a day at 8 pounds per square inch (PSI), according to the project plan.
For the overall project, planned utility capacity includes 13 million gallons of water a day, 64 megawatts of on-grid electricity and 750,000 pounds of industrial gas a day.
Junaid 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 project would also have a one-window mechanism for exporters, including streamlined export processing, specialised customs desks and dedicated transport corridors.
Projections presented at the meeting put first-phase employment at 138,125 jobs and annual exports at $2.2 billion. The project also targets an average export value of around $8 per garment.
The minister said the initiative was part of efforts to expand Pakistan’s industrial and export capacity by integrating port infrastructure, utilities, customs facilities and private investment into the proposed apparel zone.
