25 January 2004	Sunday	02 Zilhaj 1424

KARACHI: An estimated 1,120,000 people are now working in around 6,600 industries in Karachi's four main industrial areas - the Site Association of Industry, the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) , the North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI) and the F.B. Area Association of Trade and Industry (FBATI).

Some industrial areas have witnessed setting up of new units, besides expansion of business. Other industrial areas have not seen establishment of any new units due to non-availability of new plots that compelled them to expand their business either vertically or horizontally at their existing premises.

Site Association of Industry Chairman Mohammad Nisar Sheikhani said around 200 new industries had been set up during the last 10 years, making the total to 2,400 units in Site area.

Major investment has found way in knitting, garments, rice mills and textile related items. "I think 15-20 per cent new jobs were created in the last decade," Mr Sheikhani said, adding a large number of workforce was arriving from Northern areas and Punjab. The job-seekers are also arriving from rural Sindh.

Industries used to accommodate a large number of workforce arriving from Punjab, but new arrivals have declined since many new units have been set up in the country's heavily populated province.

"Around 550,000 people are directly engaged in 2,400 industries," Mr Sheikhani said. "There is still a dearth of skilled workers and many companies are recruiting skilled people coming from abroad."

Korangi Association of Trade and Industry Chairman Mian Zahid Hussain said that around 100 industries, mostly textile, pharmaceuticals and food products had been added to the Korangi industrial area in the last three years.

He says on average around 100 people work in one industrial unit. It means around 120,000 people are earning their livelihood in 1,200 industries in the KATI area. He says around 400 persons get indirectly involved in one unit that means that around 480,000 persons are indirectly engaged in 1,200 industries.

Mr Hussain says no new industries are in sight as only expansion plan is taking place in the KATI areas. "Only 100 units have been set in our area."

Former F.B. Area Association of Trade and Industry Chairman Muzamil Hussain said the area had witnessed setting up of only five or six industrial units. He says around 250,000-300,000 people are engaged in 2,500 units in F.B. Area.

Secretary, North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI), M.S. Khan Warsi, said around 150,000-200,000 people are directly and indirectly earning their livelihood in 2,500 small and medium sized units. The industrial area has around 3,318 plots.