ISLAMABAD: The Large Scale Manufacturing (LSM) sector recorded a growth of 6.44 percent during the July–April 2025-26 period as compared to the same period of the last year, provisional data released here on Monday by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said.
With output accelerating sharply in April 2026 as the Quantum Index of Manufacturing (QIM) rose to 122.19 points, reflecting an increase of 6.06 percent on a cumulative basis, while it recorded a decline of 8.32 percent on a month-on-month (MoM) basis, as in April, QIM was recorded at 114.56.
According to PBS, the growth is mainly driven by the impressive performance of the automobile, sugar, food, garments, petroleum products, and cement sectors.
Automobile remained the driver of the QIM growth as the automobile sector registered a remarkable increase of 83.88 percent in April and a cumulative 64.33 percent during July–April FY26.
In April, the sugar sector posted a monthly growth of 359.94 percent and cumulative growth of 31.60 percent, garments 15.18 percent monthly growth and a 7.34 percent cumulative expansion, reflecting continued strength in export-oriented textile manufacturing. Petroleum products with 3.83 percent monthly and 10.04 percent cumulative growth, cotton cloth recorded 0.09 percent monthly and 0.18 percent cumulative growth, the cement sector recorded 9.11 percent monthly increase, while 9.13 percent cumulative growth, and cotton yarn registered a negative monthly growth of 1.12 percent, with 1.52 percent annual growth.
The fertilizer sector’s growth declined by 10.55 percent on a monthly basis and on a cumulative basis, it recorded a 1.98 percent decline. The iron and steel sector posted a negative growth of 12.88 percent in April and on a cumulative basis, it witnessed a decline of 6.98 percent.
Following are the main contributors towards overall growth of 6.44 percent: Food, 1.60 percent, beverages, 0.33 percent, tobacco, 0.20 percent, textile, 0.05 percent, garments, 1.19 percent, petroleum products, 0.74 percent, chemicals, -0.18 percent, pharmaceuticals, -0.40 percent, cement, 0.50 percent, iron/steel products -0.30 percent, electrical equipment, 0.35 percent, machinery and equipment -0.01 percent, automobiles, 1.61 percent, other transport equipment, 0.26 percent, and furniture, 0.34 percent.
The data revealed that, on a monthly basis, the food sector posted 2.11 percent growth, on a cumulative basis 1.66 percent, and on an annual basis 8.91 percent. The tobacco sector grew by 20.82 percent on a monthly basis, 0.20 percent on a cumulative basis, and 12.74 percent on an annual basis. Rubber products grew by 21.48 percent in April, while on a cumulative basis, they went up0.03 percent, and on an annual basis, they registered a growth of 15 percent. In April, the textile sector posted a growth of 3.51 percent, and during the July-April 2026 period, it grew by 0.32 percent, and on an annual basis, it grew by 0.05 percent.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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