KARACHI: Megacity Karachi is facing acute joblessness and to mitigate it, the government should construct the proposed Karachi-Hyderabad and Karachi-Keti Bander industrial corridors on priority, said Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor here Sunday.
He said industrial corridors are crucial drivers of economic development and infrastructure growth, as they stimulate large-scale industrial development by providing planned infrastructure. They attract domestic and foreign investment, boosting GDP and employment. They promote cluster-based development where industries benefit from being located near each other.
Altaf Shakoor said these corridors involve world-class roads, railways, ports, and power supply, improving connectivity and thus lead to development of smart cities, logistics hubs, and industrial parks. They help in decongesting major cities by promoting growth in lesser-developed regions.
He said new industries and infrastructure projects create millions of direct and indirect jobs, and support skill development through training centers and vocational institutions. They also spur urbanization in a planned manner, preventing chaotic city expansion.
He said industrial corridors are PPP-friendly (Public-Private Partnership), promoting efficiency and innovation. They create policy frameworks and single-window clearances that make it easier to do business.
He urged the government to study various models of industrial corridors particularly the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC).
He said Karachi is suitable for industrial corridors due to port access, existing Industrial base, availability of skilled labor, suppliers, and service providers. Karachi is already linked to national highways (N-5, Super Highway/M9) and railway lines.
He said the proposed Karachi-Hyderabad Industrial Corridor would be connecting the existing industrial areas and developing new ones along the Super Highway (M-9).
He said the proposed Karachi–Keti Bandar corridor will link Thar’s coal resources to a new seaport at Keti Bandar, along with rail, power, and industrial infrastructure. He said this project has been under active consideration under CPEC (China?Pakistan Economic Corridor) frameworks since 2016, but now it is time to implement this highly important project. He said this corridor would complement Karachi’s industrial ecosystem in a great way. He said this project has already been officially recognized under CPEC and has past feasibility, but now needs serious execution commitment, sustainable environmental planning, and private?public coordination to move from paper to reality.
Altaf Shakoor asked the federal and Sindh governments to do the needful for early implementation of these both industrial corridors to spur the economy of Karachi, as well as, the whole Pakistan.
