Pakistan's first Marble City being set up in Karachi: Sharjeel

Karachi is set to become Pakistan's first Marble City, a project aimed at creating investment opportunities, boosting industrial activities, and generating employment, according to Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon. The initiative seeks to process marble and granite reserves across Sindh and the country using modern techniques to produce high-quality, export-ready products.

During the pre-launch ceremony at a local hotel, Memon announced that investors would have access to modern facilities and would be able to pay for their investments in installments. He emphasized the project's potential to promote the local processing of natural resources and transform raw materials into finished goods, which would benefit the national economy.

The inauguration will be performed by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. Memon noted that while Sindh boasts vast reserves of marble and granite, these resources have not been fully utilized. He stressed the importance of agriculture to Pakistan's economy, highlighting the need to increase agricultural exports and align production with modern industrial requirements.

The Sindh government is open to other provinces, like Punjab, adopting successful projects, as long as they find them effective. Several industrialists previously based in other cities are now interested in shifting their operations to Karachi and investing in the city.

The Marble City project spans over 300 acres along the Northern Bypass, with an estimated cost of $250 million. It is being developed under a public-private partnership. The Sindh government is also working on a proposal to provide electricity at a lower rate of Rs20 per unit for its projects, with arrangements being made to offer facilities at the lowest possible cost and access to advanced equipment. Investor registration will commence the following month.