The Sindh government is developing the Marble City over 300 acres near the Northern Bypass. The Rs6 billion project is expected to help the stone, granite and marble industry flourish. “The Marble City will be developed as an industrial estate to uplift the value-added marble and granite sector and allied industries. It is a design, building, finance, operation, maintenance and transfer project through a public-private partnership (PPP) framework,” said Abdul Aleem Uqaili, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sindh Economic Zones Management Company, while talking to WealthPK. The project will have a tremendous investment and growth potential for entrepreneurs, as it will be based on cutting-edge stone technology, innovation and services.

The concept is based on stone technology and custom facilities to create the largest and most technologically advanced industrial park for dimension stone (Marble & Granite) in Karachi. The project would offer state-of-the-art infrastructure, utilities on the doorstep, and easy access to the ports of Karachi. “MCK would uplift the value-added marble sector and allied industries. It would likely attract more than 50 such enterprises,” he said. The core objectives of the project are to provide a secure, purpose-built industrial zone for not only the dimension stone (marble and granite) sector but also the allied industries in Karachi.

The marble industry is an important sector in the global market with total essential value chain of $60 billion annually. China accounts for 80 percent of Pakistan’s total marble exports; however, a major portion of exports to China is in raw form. Russia, USA, Japan, South Korea and European countries demand finished marble products, and thus constitute less than 10 percent of Pakistan’s export. Umair Siddiqui, Project Director of the Marble City, told WealthPK that the project would help in value addition of stone and mineral resources of Sindh and Balochistan and attract foreign direct investment (FDI) for production and processing.

“Also, we plan better jobs in terms of working conditions in this project with increased income resulting from improved skills imparted by the training,” he said. It also aims to increase direct and secondary job creation, support poverty alleviation and enhance exports of marble, granite and others stones as well as reduce waste and improve productivity in the stone sector. Siddiqui said the project facilities include Common Facility & Training Center (CFTC), warehouse, waste water treatment plants/slurry management, mechanical and electrical workshops/services and support facilities. Speaking about infrastructure development, he said there would a captive power plant, quarrying (mining), training center, warehousing and water treatment facility.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)