PSIC to establish new Kot Pindi Das SME industrial estate: Mubeen

LAHORE, Jul 02 (APP): Punjab Small Industries Corporation (PSIC) Managing Director Mubeen Elahi Thursday said that PSIC is set to establish a new small industrial estate at Kot Pindi Das, Lahore.

In a meeting with Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) led by its President Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol here at PSIC office, he added that project will cover approximately 130 acres and include 364 industrial plots to be allocated through balloting.

LCCI Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmed Sheikh, Director Estates PSIC Sabeeh Raza and LCCI Executive Committee Members, Syed Salman, Amir Ali, Iftikhar Ahmad, Mohsin Bashir, Nadeem Ansari, Syed Hassan Raza, Shouban Akhtar and Irfan Qureshi were also present.

Mubeen Elahi informed the delegation that entrepreneurs would pay 40 percent of the cost as down payment while the remaining 60 percent would be payable through quarterly installments over two years. He added that the estimated price has been fixed at Rs 5 million per kanal, inclusive of development charges, and that PSIC would also facilitate concessional financing for industrial investors.

Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol urged the PSIC to immediately accelerate the development of new industrial estates around Lahore, saying that industries cannot be relocated unless fully developed, affordable industrial zones with modern infrastructure are made available.

He mentioned that recent sealing operations, enforcement actions and notices issued to industrial units by different government agencies have created serious uncertainty among the business community. He said that industrial units established in areas such as Saggian, Daroghawala and Multan Road have been operating for decades, making substantial investments, creating thousands of jobs, paying taxes and contributing significantly to exports and the national economy.

He said that many industries were established in these locations because properly planned and affordable industrial estates were not available at the time. Therefore, industries should not be penalized without providing practical alternatives.

The LCCI President stressed that while the business community supports planned urban development and environmental compliance, industrial relocation cannot be implemented unless suitable industrial estates with complete infrastructure are developed. He pointed out that the existing industrial estates in and around Lahore have either reached or are close to full capacity and cannot accommodate industries on a large scale.

Saigol urged the Corporation to take the lead in establishing new SME-focused industrial estates equipped with electricity, gas, water supply, roads, sewerage, drainage and all other essential utilities. He also emphasized the need for plug-and-play facilities and a one-window operation to enable industries to establish production units quickly and efficiently.

He requested the government to suspend enforcement notices issued by agencies including RUDA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Lahore Development Authority (LDA) until viable relocation arrangements are made. He added that the business community is willing to cooperate with the government’s industrial planning initiatives, provided sufficient time and appropriate facilities are offered for relocation.

The LCCI President further observed that the government currently lacks comprehensive data on industrial clusters, making policy decisions more difficult. He proposed the PSIC to prepare a long-term master plan for SME industrial estates in consultation with LCCI so that the genuine requirements of industry are adequately reflected.

LCCI Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmed Sheikh appreciated the initiative but emphasized that financial burden of relocating existing industries is not substantial. He urged PSIC to extend financing facilities not only for land acquisition but also for the construction of industrial buildings and the purchase of plant and machinery.

He said industries are already facing exceptionally high production costs and difficult business conditions, while employment generation has also slowed considerably. He suggested that the project should initially be implemented on a smaller scale before being expanded gradually based on demand.

During the discussion, members of the LCCI Executive Committee also presented several proposals, including phased relocation of industries based on industrial clusters or population planning, attractive incentives for cluster-based relocation, expansion of the proposed industrial estate to at least 500 acres and the introduction of a 20-year lease model under a public-private partnership framework.