A total of 229 industrial units in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have stopped working due to increasing unrest and insufficient government support.
Of these, 177 units were closed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Management and Development Corporation (KPEZMEC) and 52 units in Jadon Economic Zone, ARY News reported citing sources.
Despite these closures, 2010 units remain operational in various regions, although there are no major factories currently active in these regions. The report also noted that 324 industrial units are under construction in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, indicating efforts to revitalize the sector amid the prevailing challenges.
In a related context, previous disclosures to the Sindh Council revealed the closure of 81 industrial units, including 10 textile factories and five sugar factories, over a period of five years due to the electricity crisis.
Parliamentary Secretary for Industry and Commerce Ali Ahmed told lawmakers that the Sindh government was supporting industrialists, but Opposition Leader Ali Khurshidi sought clarification on the number of closed units that were newly set up between 2018 and 2023. Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani explained that the inquiry concerns the Ministry of Labour.
Ahmed reported that 6,856 industrial units are still operational in Sindh, with 915 new units being established. The closures include 10 textile factories and a cement factory, which illustrates the challenges facing the industrial sector in all governorates.