The Industry Liaison Committee of the Pakistan International Business Forum (PIBF) has raised serious concerns over what it termed the “near collapse” of Punjab’s industrial estate system, warning that continued administrative neglect could further weaken Pakistan’s already fragile industrial base. In a statement, PIBF noted that Punjab’s industrial estates—many of which were established as far back as 78 years—are facing severe governance and infrastructure issues. These include bureaucratic mismanagement, dilapidated internal roads, an absence of a transparent plot sale and transfer mechanism, non-functional estate committees, lack of security, and a complete failure of estate maintenance systems. PIBF contrasted the existing setup with the model proposed under the Punjab Industrial Estates Development & Management Company (PIEDMC), stating that a modern industrial estate framework ensures one-window facilitation, empowered management boards, standardized bylaws, and investor-friendly systems, all of which are currently missing in several older estates. The forum warned that without urgent reforms, Pakistan risks losing vital industrial activity, employment opportunities, and export competitiveness. “Industrial estates are meant to facilitate ease of doing business, not become administrative bottlenecks,” PIBF said. Convener Industry Liaison Committee Waqar Ahmed Butt and Co-Convener Muhammad Tahir Qureshi urged the Punjab government to immediately bring all outdated industrial estates under an effective, professional management structure similar to PIEDMC. PIBF emphasized that reviving industrial estates is essential to restoring investor confidence and putting Pakistan’s economy back on a sustainable growth path.
