Ahmed Khan Malik

The small industrial zone in Tando Adam area of Sindh is suffering due to poor communication infrastructure and lack of basic amenities.

The high cost of utilities and growing prices of inputs have further added to industrialists’ problems.  The zone, home to approximately 76 factories, including flour and oil mills, paper factories, power looms, and confectionery manufacturing units, faces severe operational challenges.

“The Sindh Small Industries Corporation (SSIC) in Tando Adam continues to suffer from a lack of basic amenities such as a proper sewerage system and poor road infrastructure,” industrialists told WealthPK. They pointed out that despite being one of Sindh’s most successful small industrial hubs, the SSIC is plagued by negligence on the part of the government authorities.

They highlighted that the lack of a functioning sewerage system has significantly impacted factory owners, leading to operational hurdles and financial losses. Factory owners also accused the departments concerned of ignoring their repeated requests to address the area’s growing issues. “Our repeated reminders and appeals have gone unanswered, leaving the industrial hub to face an uncertain future,” Latif Mughal, an industrialist in the area, told WealthPK. He noted that this negligence is dragging their businesses into ruin.

“The government needs to take immediate action to resolve these issues,” he said. Mughal urged the Sindh government and relevant authorities to intervene promptly, ensure the provision of basic amenities, and restore the area’s economic potential. “If the situation persists, this vital industrial hub risks further decline, causing irreparable damage to the region’s economy,” he said.  Units in SSIC produce a wide range of products, including cotton, polyester, and blended fabrics, as well as towels, bed sheets and other home textile products. 

Mansoor Durrani, a power loom unit owner, said that the power loom industry provides employment to a large number of people in Tando Adam, including skilled and unskilled workers, and exports a significant portion of its products to various countries.  He said that Tando Adam's power loom industry is renowned for producing high-quality fabrics, including cotton, polyester, and blended fabrics. “The city's textile sector is supported by a large number of power loom units, spinning mills, and finishing units, which provide employment opportunities to thousands of people.”

However, he said the industry is struggling in the face of the many municipal problems as well as the high cost of utilities and inputs.  Durrani called upon the federal and provincial governments to rescue the industry through various interventions and measures. “While the federal government should reduce utilities costs, the Sindh government should facilitate the resolution of civic issues.”

Credit: INP-WealthPk