A total of 229 industrial units in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have ceased operations due to increasing unrest and insufficient government support.
Among these, 177 units in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Management and Development Company (KPEZMEC) and 52 units in the Gadoon Economic Zone have been shut down, ARY News reported citing sources.
Despite these closures, 2,010 units remain operational in various zones, though no major factories are currently active in these areas. The report also noted that 324 industrial units are under construction in KP, signaling efforts to revitalize the sector amidst prevailing challenges.
In a related context, earlier disclosures from the Sindh Assembly revealed that 81 industrial units, including 10 textile mills and five sugar mills, had closed over five years due to the electricity crisis.
Parliamentary Secretary of Industries and Commerce Ali Ahmed informed lawmakers that the Sindh government was supporting industrialists, but opposition leader Ali Khurshidi sought clarity on the number of units shut down and newly established between 2018 and 2023. Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani explained that the query pertained to the labor department.
Ahmed reported that 6,856 industrial units remain operational in Sindh, with 915 new units established. The closures include 10 textile mills and a cement factory, further illustrating the challenges faced by the industrial sector across provinces.
