Artistic Milliners to invest over $18mn in Port Qasim 400-acre Garments City

Pakistan will establish a 400-acre Garments City at Port Qasim in Karachi to expand textile exports and create jobs, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said on Monday.

Under the plan, a Pakistani textile and denim manufacturing company, Artistic Milliners, would establish a manufacturing unit with an investment of more than $18 million, incorporating vertical integration and green technologies, read a statement.

Chairing a meeting on a proposed garment city project, the minister said the export-oriented manufacturing cluster would focus on high-value apparel production and attract private investment.

According to the project plan, the first phase would cover 250 acres, with 35% allocated for internal roads, utilities and green areas. The project is envisaged as a public-private partnership.

The proposed commercial structure comprises 32 industrial plots of five acres each, although the plot size could be reduced to two or three acres to accommodate more investors and manufacturing units.

The Port Qasim Authority (PQA) would provide infrastructure and utilities. Each industrial unit would have access to up to 400,000 gallons of water per day, two megawatts of on-grid electricity, and 23,100 pounds of industrial gas per day at 8 pounds per square inch (PSI), enough to support the requirements for 10 tonnes of steam.

Pakistan to establish 150-acre auto processing zone at Port Qasim

For the overall project, planned utility capacity includes 13 million gallons of water a day, 64MW of on-grid electricity and 750,000 pounds of industrial gas a day.

Chaudhry said private-sector participation would be a key component of the project.

The project would also have a one-window mechanism for exporters, including streamlined export processing, specialised customs desks and dedicated transport corridors.

Projections presented at the meeting put first-phase employment at 138,125 jobs and annual exports at $2.2 billion. The project also aims to raise the average export value of garments to around $8 per piece.

The minister said the initiative was part of efforts to expand Pakistan’s industrial base and export capacity, with port infrastructure, utilities, customs facilities and private investment integrated into the proposed apparel zone.

Pakistan’s textile and garment sector is the country’s largest export earner but has faced challenges from high energy costs, outdated technology and competition from regional rivals. The government has been seeking to develop industrial zones and special economic areas to attract investment and move up the value chain.

Days ago, Chaudhry announced 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.