Govt, APCMA in sync: Cement export target from PQA set at 1.5m tons: SAPM
This was stated by the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, while chairing a high-level meeting of the task force formed to enhance the competitiveness of Pakistan's cement and clinker exports. The SAPM stressed that to meet the cement export target of 1.5 million tons next year, enhancing storage capacity at Port Qasim is essential.
According to official figures recently released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), during first 11 months of the ongoing fiscal year July-May 2024-25, the country's cement exports witnessed an increase of 22 percent on annual basis as cement exports crossed eight million tons. Shipments increased by 30 per cent year-on-year from 6.18Mt to 8.0Mt. In May 2025, exports rose by six per cent year-on-year to $34 million in value and by 45 percent month-on-month from April 2025.
Overall, national exports grew by five percent while imports rose by 7.5 percent over the same period.
The meeting reviewed key logistical and infrastructural issues including the movement of cargo on Lyari Expressway, challenges faced by DHA and Cantonment authorities on Malir Expressway, and the need for increased storage capacity at Port Qasim.
The Ministry of Communications informed the forum that allowing cargo traffic on Lyari Expressway would incur a cost of Rs4 to Rs5 billion. The National Highways Authority (NHA) is working on two major motorway projects: Sukkur–Hyderabad at a cost of Rs600 billion and Hyderabad–Karachi at a cost of Rs400 billion.
SAPM Khan emphasised that issues faced by DHA and Cantonment authorities on Malir Expressway are still unresolved and need urgent attention. The task force also informed that truck marshalling yards are being connected to railway tracks to improve cargo handling.
Chairman of Port Qasim Authority informed that port charges have been reduced by 50 percent to support exporters. The committee highlighted that Karachi Port Trust (KPT) charges have remained lower than other ports since 1994.
To facilitate cement exports, Khan said discussions will be held with the Sindh government to acquire land for extending the railway track and a sub-committee has been constituted to meet with the chief minister of Sindh in this regard.
According to the committee, 40,000 tons of cement are currently being exported to the United States from Berth No 2 (MW2) at Port Qasim. SAPM Khan remarked that this successful export to the US demonstrates the global competitiveness of Pakistan's cement sector.
Cement exporters present at the meeting also reiterated the need for increased storage facilities to meet growing international demand.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Wheat cultivators to protest across Punjab
The Kissan Ittehad and the Sindh Abadgar Alliance have announced a protest movement across Punjab starting from August 11 due to the government's "failure" to fix the official wheat support price. "On August 11, a symbolic funeral for agriculture will be held outside the DC office in Kasur, and a protest will be held outside the Hyderabad Press Club on August 20," Kissan Ittehad Chairman Khalid Hussain Batth said on Saturday at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club. Sindh Abadgar Alliance President Zubair Talpur was also present on the occasion. Batth said protests would take place across all provinces, followed by a march toward Islamabad. "This time, we will protest before the wheat cultivation season begins," he said, clarifying that this movement has no affiliation with any political party. He added that over the past two years, the cost of wheat cultivation has been Rs4,000 per 40kg, while the government purchased wheat from them at only Rs2,200. "We are ready for a forensic audit," he said. "The government demands up to 45% in taxes but how can we pay taxes when we are not even making a profit?" He said if the government does not set a wheat support price before sowing begins, they will initiate talks with the prime minister and chief ministers. If there is still no decision, province-wide protests will be launched in Punjab on August 11 and in Sindh on August 20. "The government has failed to fix wheat prices for the last two years," he noted.
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Govt urged to urgently decide PSM's fate
Steam rolls off a slab of steel as it rolls down the line at the Novolipetsk Steel PAO steel mill in Farrell, Pennsylvania, US. PHOTO: REUTERS Members of a Senate panel have urged the government to expedite its decision on the future of the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM), which has been non-functional for years. The Senate Standing Committee on Industries and Production visited the PSM on Saturday under the chairmanship of Senator Aon Abbas Buppi. The committee toured various plants within the PSM and reviewed the organization's current debt challenges, payment delays and expenditures, and listened to the concerns of employee unions. They held discussions with PSM Chairman Asad Islam Mahni and other officials on major issues facing the PSM. During a briefing, Mahni informed the committee that by 2024, the mill had accumulated a total loss of Rs600 billion and was paying Rs20 billion annually in interest on current loans. He said the mills owes Rs89 billion to the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) as most of the loans from the NBP have been used to cover expenses, including salaries for 934 current employees. The officials told the committee that the government is simultaneously considering two projects: One involves the revival of the mill using Russian firm Industrial Engineering LLC, which would utilize arc and blast furnaces for restoration. The other project considers winding down the mill after appointing a review firm to evaluate its viability. The committee also met with representatives of the workers' union, who apprised them of the hardships faced by both current and laid-off employees. To address their concerns, the committee formed a subcommittee tasked with holding talks with management over workers' complaints. The Senate committee appreciated the current management's efforts to reduce PSM's expenditures. However, it expressed anger over the continued incidents of theft within the organization and instructed authorities to assess the losses incurred from such activities. It also recommended accelerating the disposal of non-functional or expired assets that are no longer operational. The committee was briefed on the arbitrary allotment of PSM land by the Sindh government a few years ago. It expressed concern over the allotment of 1,370 acres and 400 acres of undisputed land to local villages, stating that such allotment cases should be referred to the Council of Common Interests (CCI). The committee toured various plants within Pakistan Steel Mills and recommended that the government expedite its decision on the future of the institution.
Business Recorder
13 hours ago
- Business Recorder
PSM's cumulative loss reaches Rs600bn, it pays Rs20bn annual interest: chairman
Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) Chairman Asad Islam Mahni on Saturday said the steel mill's cumulative loss had reached Rs600 billion till 2024, while it paid Rs20bn annual interest. This the PSM chairman told Senate Standing Committee on Industries and Production, headed by Senator Aon Abbas, during its visit to the PSM in Karachi. The committee reviewed the organisation's existing challenges of debts, delayed payments and expenditure, and also heard concerns of employees unions. The committee members also included Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan, Senator Khalida Ateeb, and Senator Husna Bano. During the briefing, Mahni also told the committee that that PSM owed Rs89 billions to the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) as most of the loan was being provided by the NBP for expenditure including salaries of the company's 934 current employees. Moreover, the committee was informed by PSM officials that two plans were being simultaneously considered by government, one of them was to seek revival of the PSM through Russian Industrial Engineering LLC which will use arch furnace and blast furnace to revive the mill while the other plan seeks to liquidate the PSM after hiring the evaluating firm. Senate panel told: PSM sell-off halted after 3 Chinese cos withdrew EoIs The committee also met with the worker union representatives, who apprised the committee about the hardships of retrenched and current employees of the PSM. The committee formed a sub committee to review the reservations of the employees and held talks with management for their grievances. The Senate standing committee appreciated the efforts of current management to reduce the expenditure of the PSM. However, the committee showed displeasure over frequent thefts in the PSM and directed the authorities to evaluate the losses due to theft. Moreover, it also suggested speeding up the process of liquidating moveable assets being no longer in working condition or have aged their life. The committee was told about arbitrary allotment of PSM land by the Sindh government in past few years, the committee expressed reservations on allotment of PSM's undisputed and entitled land of 1370 acres and 400 acres to the Goths by the Sindh government and desired that such allotment cases should be referred to the Council of Common Interests (CCI). The committee also toured different plants of the PSM and suggested that government should speed up the fate of steel mills.
