New facilities expected to create up to 500 jobs; plantation drive launched under clean and Green Zone initiative
DLP Report
PESHAWAR
Member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Advisory Council on Industries and Commerce Dr Muhammad Irshad on Tuesday inaugurated three industrial units at the Nowshera Economic Zone Extension, attracting an investment of approximately Rs400 million and expected to generate up to 500 direct and indirect employment opportunities.
The inauguration took place during Dr Irshad’s first official visit to the economic zone since assuming office, said a statement. He was accompanied by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management Company (KPEZDMC) Chief Executive Officer Shaharyar Gul and other senior government officials.
The newly inaugurated facilities include Mani Foods, established with an investment of Rs200 million and expected to generate up to 400 jobs.
The other two units are Soorat Khan Plastic, which will manufacture recycled plastic pellets, and Dynamic Minerals Processing Unit, which will process locally sourced minerals for industrial use and export to the United Arab Emirates.
The two units represent a combined investment of Rs200 million and are expected to create up to 100 jobs.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Irshad said the provincial government was focused on expediting administrative decisions, upgrading industrial infrastructure and providing a business-friendly environment to encourage investment and accelerate industrial growth.
He said greater administrative powers had been delegated to zone managers to enable them to address investors’ complaints promptly at the local level. He added that the implementation of enterprise resource planning (ERP)-based digital reforms by KPEZDMC would improve transparency and operational efficiency across industrial zones.
The adviser noted that investor interest in expanding business activities at the Nowshera Economic Zone was continuing to grow.
Emphasising environmental protection, Dr Irshad highlighted the importance of compliance with environmental standards under the “Clean and Green Zone” initiative. He also launched a plantation drive aimed at planting 1,000 saplings across the economic zone.
During the visit, he reviewed the zone’s operations, ongoing infrastructure development and investor facilitation mechanisms. He also visited DIYAR Splints to inspect the installation of modern imported machinery ahead of the unit’s formal commercial production.
KPEZDMC CEO Shaharyar Gul said the company remained committed to resolving operational challenges faced by industrialists and improving services within economic zones to promote investment, employment and industrial development across the province.
