Pakistan to establish 150-acre auto processing zone at Port Qasim
- AIRE Park could generate annual net foreign exchange surplus of around $200mn
Pakistan plans a 150-acre automotive processing zone at Port Qasim, Karachi, to integrate vehicle import, refurbishment, display, and export, aiming for a $200 million annual foreign exchange surplus.
- Phased expansion of the automotive zone.
- Integrated Import-Refurbishment-Export (AIRE) framework.
- Projected $200 million annual foreign exchange surplus.
Pakistan plans to establish an automotive processing zone on 150 acres at Port Qasim, Karachi, with the facility to be expanded in phases according to market demand, announced Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Wednesday.
The decision was taken at a meeting attended by Port Qasim Authority (PQA) Chairman, Rear Admiral (Retd) Syed Moazzam Ilyas and members of the PQA Board, read a statement.
The minister said the auto zone would be expanded in phases after completion of the first phase, enabling the project to grow in line with market demand.
The proposed zone will comprise 264 operational units across five specialised segments, including 30 commercial units, 84 refurbishment workshops, 60 car display units, 20 machinery yards and 70 auto spare-parts units.
According to the project concept, the facility will be developed within the Port Qasim industrial corridor, providing direct access to the port and reducing inland logistics requirements for imported and exported vehicles.
The proposed facility is aimed at creating an integrated platform for vehicle import, refurbishment, display and export. The project envisages Pakistan’s first dedicated Import-Refurbishment-Export (AIRE) framework for the automotive sector.
The project proponents estimate that the AIRE Park could generate an annual net foreign exchange surplus of around $200 million, based on an estimated $500 million in exports.
The facility is also expected to support automotive businesses by bringing commercial activities, refurbishment facilities, machinery yards, vehicle displays and spare-parts suppliers into a single port-based ecosystem.
The proposed zone would be located along the Arabian Sea shipping corridor connecting South Asia with the Gulf and East Africa, potentially facilitating regional vehicle trade.
Chairman, Port Qasim Authority Rear Admiral (Retd) Syed Moazzam Ilyas said the phased approach would allow the project to expand according to market demand and could provide a model for establishing similar automotive zones elsewhere in the country.
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