Ahmed Khan Malik

Entrepreneurs in the Hub Industrial and Trading Estate (HITE) in Balochistan have demanded the federal and provincial governments resolve their issues, particularly those related to infrastructure development and gas supply, which are severely denting their operational capabilities.  The businessmen have long been demanding consistent gas supply with proper pressure, improved road connectivity between Karachi and Hub, and the urgent rehabilitation of the deteriorating infrastructure in the industrial zone. The industrialists have also been highlighting the delay in rehabilitation of a major bridge connecting Sindh and Balochistan for the past one and a half years, which caused disruption in transportation of goods. Masood Hussain, a prominent business leader in HITE, stressed the importance of addressing these issues.

Talking to WealthPK, he called for proper gas supply, highlighting that new gas connections were not provided, and industrialists were forced to opt for Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) connections at a higher cost. He said RLNG cost Rs3,950 per mmBtu (million British thermal unit), while regular gas connections cost only Rs1,350 per mmBtu. He lamented that Balochistan produced approximately 18% to 20% natural gas but only 6% was provided to the province for consumption. Masood called for the implementation of Article 158 of the Constitution, which aims to ensure the fair distribution of gas resources among the local population. “This industrial area spanning 1,300 acres and housing around 200 national and multinational industries faces numerous challenges, including energy shortages and utility problems,” he said.  Masood contended that the Hub city was facing energy crisis, troubling both industrialists and local residents.

Hussain Rizvi, who represents the SME sector in the industrial area, told WealthPK that another issue was the acute shortage of water.He pointed out that despite the presence of ample water in the Hub Dam, issues such as water theft and evaporation persisted due to lack of proper water supply channels. He urged the government to lay pipelines to supply water to the Hub city and HITE to eliminate reliance on water tankers and reduce water-related challenges. He said that addressing these fundamental issues would unlock the tremendous potential of the area to accommodate more industries and create job opportunities.  He called upon the government to allocate funds for the rehabilitation of the industrial area to spur the region’s prosperity and job creation. Industrialists, however, expressed satisfaction over the law and order situation in the area.

Credit: INP-WealthPk