Maryam Nawaz launches Rs1.99 trillion Punjab economic plan

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif launched a three-year provincial economic plan on Friday carrying a budget of Rs1,995.3 billion, with targets of $6.8 billion in additional exports, 162,000 direct jobs and support for more than one million livelihoods.

The Punjab Innovation, Value Addition and Economic Transformation (PIVOT) Plan 2026-29 pairs Rs1,089 billion of public investment with a target of Rs906 billion in private investment, according to figures released at the launch and reported by Daily Times. Pakistan Today and Profit also carried the launch and put the size of the plan at Rs1.995 trillion.

A central component is the Strategic Trade Enhancement Programme, which offers Rs300 billion in concessional financing at rates of zero to five per cent for eligible commercial categories, routed through a new digital portal. "My message to investors and industrialists across Pakistan and around the world is clear: Punjab welcomes your investment," Maryam said. "Government will facilitate, industry will lead."

Rs753.7 billion is directed at industrial output, value addition and export competitiveness. Within that envelope, Rs50 billion is earmarked for solar installations and battery energy storage systems, and Rs50 billion for reimbursing duty on imported machinery. The value chains named are garments and textiles, sports goods, leather and footwear, surgical instruments, pharmaceuticals, fans, cutlery, steel and ceramics.

For agriculture, four agro-processing parks are planned at Sargodha, Khanewal, Okara and Bhakkar, alongside horticulture authorities in 20 districts and value-chain work on wheat, citrus, potato and mango. Livestock, dairy, aquaculture and halal meat are also covered.

The plan promises training for 402,060 people over three years, and a digital E-Biz programme to move 300 government services online and put 2,000 firms on e-commerce platforms. It also lists modernised labour laws, public-private partnership reforms and approved schemes for state land leases in nine sectors.

Delivery is to be run by a PIVOT Board chaired by Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, with a secretariat in the Planning and Development Department, a cell in the Chief Secretary's Office and deputy commissioners as district focal persons. Progress is to be tracked on a central dashboard and an industry scorecard. Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman said the concept would be operational within six months. "PIVOT will not remain a document of targets and commitments," he said.

Industrialists Mian Mansha, Arif Habib, Fawad Mukhtar, Ziad Bashir and Osman Khalid Waheed attended, as did State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmad, ambassadors and representatives of the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and UN agencies. Arif Habib announced at the launch that he plans to build Pakistan's tallest commercial tower at Lahore CBD One.