150 industries shut in Faisalabad, 150,000 jobs lost, business leaders tell minister

More than 150 industrial units in Faisalabad have shut down, leaving nearly 150,000 workers unemployed, as security concerns and policy-related issues continue to weigh on the manufacturing sector, representatives of the business community told the federal minister for the Board of Investment. 

As per a news report, the concerns were raised in a meeting with office-bearers of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where industrialists said several businesses had also shifted operations abroad due to mounting operational challenges. They said persistent uncertainty has eroded confidence and disrupted industrial activity in one of the country’s largest manufacturing hubs.

Earlier, the minister visited the Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (FIEDMC) to review the status of Special Economic Zones and assess issues affecting their development and occupancy. 

According to an official statement, he said FIEDMC remained central to Pakistan’s industrial base and that the government, under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was committed to resolving problems faced by industry.

The minister said bottlenecks at FIEDMC would be addressed to improve functionality and stability and to attract both local and foreign investment. He noted that sustained industrial growth was essential for strengthening the economy and said stakeholder engagement would be maintained to reach workable solutions.