11 factories begin production at Quaid-e-Azam Business Park

ISLAMABAD, Jan 26 (APP): Developed by the Punjab government in Sheikhupura, Quaid-e-Azam Business Park has started operational activity, with 11 factories commencing production, marking a key milestone in the province’s industrial development drive.
“Eleven factories have started production, while another 43 units are either under construction or nearing completion,” Maj (retd) Javed Iqbal, Chairman of the Punjab Industrial Development and Management Company, told Wealth Pakistan. He said local and foreign investors have made commitments worth Rs174 billion, which are expected to materialise in the near term.
He said the business park is located on the Lahore–Islamabad Motorway (M-2) near Sheikhupura, providing strong connectivity to Lahore and other major cities, which has enhanced its attractiveness for industrial investors.
Spread over 1,860 acres, the project also includes 200 acres allocated for a labour colony, expected to accommodate around 30,000 workers. The government has declared the park a Special Economic Zone, allowing investors a one-time customs duty exemption on imported capital goods and a 10-year income tax holiday.
According to officials, the master plan includes modern office spaces, cluster-based industrial zones and advanced facilities. A 200,000-square-foot Center Way Business Square is under construction at the central site of the park, while work is also planned on a dedicated motorway interchange. Development of a Combined Effluent Treatment Plant is also part of the project.
The chairman said the project is expected to generate around 250,000 jobs for skilled and unskilled workers, with a particular focus on increasing participation of women in the industrial workforce.
In addition to industrial units and offices, the park will include a Garment City spread over 90,000 square feet, with multi-storey facilities designed for manufacturing, storage and business operations in the textile and garment sector.
To ensure uninterrupted electricity supply, the National Grid Company of Pakistan has energised a dedicated 220-kilovolt grid station in Sheikhupura. Officials said the grid station, completed at a cost exceeding Rs4 billion under the Cash Deposit Loan facility, will meet the power needs of large-scale industrial consumers operating in the zone.
The business community has welcomed the development. President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Faheem-ur-Rehman Saigol, said several industrial groups are investing in the zone due to incentives such as tax holidays, adding that the park is expected to contribute to export growth, particularly in textiles and garments.