LAHORE: Speakers at a panel discussion held at the Expo Centre unanimously emphasised the urgent need to establish Pakistan’s first integrated naphtha cracker complex and a network of dedicated chemical industrial parks across the country.
The discussion, titled “Importance of Naphtha Cracker and Chemical Industrial Parks,” was held on the second day of the Pakistan Chemical Expo 2026.
The panelists observed that such a project could generate more than 100,000 jobs and contribute over USD 50 billion to the growth of downstream industries over the next decade. The session was attended by a large number of industrialists, including Haroon Ali Khan, Chairman of the Pakistan Chemical Manufacturers Association (PCMA), and Syed Hafeez Uddin, Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee.
Syed Nabeel Hashmi, Chairman of the Pakistan Plastic Manufacturers Association (PPMA), said that despite Pakistan’s annual refining capacity of approximately 20 million tonnes and the availability of locally produced naphtha, the country remains one of the few major economies without an integrated commercial naphtha cracker. He pointed out that countries such as China, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, India, and Indonesia have significantly expanded their industrial output and exports through integrated petrochemical clusters.
Javed Iqbal, Chairman of the Punjab Industrial Estates Development and Management Company (PIEDMC), stated that the organisation could play a pivotal role in the success of future petrochemical projects by developing specialised chemical and petrochemical zones in Punjab, facilitating foreign direct investment, supporting downstream industrial clusters, and providing the necessary environmental and logistical infrastructure. He added that Pakistan, with a population of around 300 million people, requires long-term, industry-friendly policies to support sustainable economic growth and meet the needs of its expanding economy.
Kamran Arshad, Chairman of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA), viewed that a naphtha cracker serves as the foundation of the modern petrochemical industry by producing essential feedstocks such as ethylene, propylene, and aromatics. These materials are critical inputs for a wide range of industries, including plastics, pharmaceuticals, textiles, packaging, automotive components, detergents etc.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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