‘Karachi Safe City Project’ crucial for economic stability: PHMA
KARACHI: The Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA) has called for the immediate implementation of the Karachi Safe City Project, saying it is essential for improving law and order, strengthening investor confidence and ensuring Pakistan’s socioeconomic stability.
The demand was made during a meeting between PHMA office-bearers and the Additional Inspector-General of Police (Karachi Range), Azad Khan, at the association’s central office.
Speaking on the occasion, Azad Khan said modern policing through digitalization and technology had become a necessity for effectively serving the people and maintaining law and order in Pakistan’s largest metropolitan city.
He said Karachi being the country’s largest industrial and commercial hub required greater use of technology, digital monitoring and real-time surveillance under the Smart Safe City Project to improve policing, reduce crime and facilitate the business community.
He said Karachi Police remained available round the clock to support and facilitate industrialists and exporters.
The additional IGP briefed participants on the police’s ongoing efforts to reduce crime, including measures against street crime, prevention of vehicle theft, enhanced surveillance, improved deployment strategies and better coordination among police units.
He said it was equally important to improve both the actual security situation and the public perception of Karachi as a safe destination for investment, business and industrial activities.
He noted that the city had long suffered from a negative image, though the law and order situation had improved considerably over the years.
Azad Khan said better security strengthened investor confidence and helped promote exports.
He said that the government and industry should work together to project Karachi as one of the country’s most business-friendly cities.
Highlighting the importance of smooth traffic management for industrial activity, he also proposed the development of a mobile application to simplify security arrangements for foreign businesspersons and engineers visiting Karachi.
Under the proposal, industries would be able to submit online security requests through a centrally managed system linked with the Karachi Police.
PHMA Patron-in-Chief Muhammad Jawed Bilwani, Central Chairman Muhammad Babar Khan and Zonal Chairman Faisal Arshad Sheikh welcomed Azad Khan and his delegation and briefed them on the association’s role as one of Pakistan’s oldest and largest representative bodies of the value-added apparel and textile sector, with a nationwide industrial presence.
The meeting was also attended by PHMA Senior Vice Chairman Bashir Ghaffar, Vice Chairman Salman Ishaq, former chairmen Irfan Zakaria Bawany and Abdul Jabbar Gajiani, former senior vice chairman Shabbir Bilwani and other leading exporters and association members.
Speaking on behalf of the association, Muhammad Jawed Bilwani praised Azad Khan for his services to Karachi Police and his performance in previous assignments.
He urged both the federal and Sindh governments to give priority to Karachi by completing and enforcing the Smart Safe City Project across the city’s entire jurisdiction.
He said Karachi contributed around 70 per cent of the country’s total revenue collection and about 95 per cent of the Sindh Revenue Board’s revenue, making it imperative to improve the city’s security infrastructure.
He added that the immediate implementation of the Smart Safe City Project would help expand business and industrial activity while attracting greater domestic and foreign investment.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026