Pakistan’s Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Monday announced plans for a new Karachi apparel hub to be established at Port Qasim, one of the country’s largest seaports. The proposed 400 acre zone is expected to generate around 2.2 billion dollars in annual exports once its first phase becomes operational, alongside creating more than 138,000 jobs.
Details of the Proposed Garment City
Chaudhry chaired a meeting at Port Qasim to discuss the project, which is being framed as a garment city dedicated to high value apparel production. According to Pakistan’s maritime affairs ministry, the first phase of the development will cover 250 acres, with 35 percent of that area allocated to internal roads, utilities and green spaces.
The ministry said projections presented at the meeting put first phase employment at 138,125 jobs, with annual exports expected to reach approximately 2.2 billion dollars. Officials said the project also aims to raise the average export value of garments produced at the site to around 8 dollars per piece, a target intended to shift Pakistan’s apparel exports toward higher value products rather than lower margin goods.
Chaudhry described the commercial structure of the proposed zone as comprising 32 industrial plots of five acres each, though he noted that plot sizes could be reduced to two or three acres in order to accommodate a larger number of investors and manufacturing units within the same footprint.
Infrastructure and Private Sector Involvement
The project is envisaged as a public private partnership, with the Port Qasim Authority responsible for providing infrastructure and utilities to businesses operating within the zone. According to the ministry, 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 daily, providing the resource base needed to support large scale garment manufacturing.
Chaudhry said private sector participation would form a key component of the initiative. As part of that involvement, Pakistani textile and denim manufacturer Artistic Milliners plans to establish a manufacturing unit at the site with an investment exceeding 18 million dollars, incorporating vertical integration and green technologies into its operations.
The minister added that the Karachi apparel hub would also feature a one window mechanism for exporters, intended to streamline export processing through specialised customs desks and dedicated transport corridors connecting the zone to the wider port infrastructure.
Port Qasim’s Existing Economic Role
Port Qasim already plays a significant role in Pakistan’s economy. According to information published by the port authority, it hosts the country’s largest industrial zone, spread across 15,474 acres and home to more than 400 industrial and commercial units currently in operation. The port authority also states that Port Qasim handles 51 percent of Pakistan’s sea trade, making it one of the largest single contributors to the national economy.
Chaudhry said the new apparel project forms part of broader efforts to expand Pakistan’s industrial base and export capacity, integrating port infrastructure, utilities, customs facilities and private investment into a single coordinated development. With the first phase projections now outlined, attention is likely to turn toward how quickly the public private partnership structure can be finalised and construction of the proposed Karachi apparel hub can begin.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, August 18th, 2026
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