Industry — Kalat Division
Agriculture, livestock, mining, trade, and Lasbela’s industrial estates — with emerging potential in mineral processing, renewable energy, and tourism.
Kalat Division is a strategically important region of central Balochistan, linking Quetta with southern and western parts of the province. Its economy is primarily based on agriculture, livestock, mining, and trade, with emerging potential in mineral processing, renewable energy, and tourism.
The division comprises six districts—Kalat, Khuzdar, Surab, Lasbela, Mastung, and Awaran—with Lasbela serving as its principal commercial and administrative centre.
Sector Overview
| Sector | Major products | Key districts |
|---|---|---|
| Mining & mineral extraction | Barite, chromite, lead-zinc, granite, copper, manganese, limestone, iron ore/bauxite, fluorite | Khuzdar, Lasbela, Kalat, Mastung |
| Marble & granite processing | Dimension-stone cutting/polishing, marble blocks and slabs, onyx | Lasbela (Gadani Marble City), Khuzdar, Kalat, Mastung |
| Cement industry | Cement manufacturing (Attock Cement, DG Khan Cement, Galadari Cement plants) | Lasbela |
| Heavy & light engineering / automobile | Auto assembly, auto-parts/vendor industry, steel re-rolling, batteries, cables, general engineering | Lasbela |
| Textile | Spinning, weaving, dyeing, synthetic textiles | Lasbela |
| Chemicals, plastics & pharmaceuticals | Industrial chemicals, plastic packaging/pipes, pharmaceuticals, healthcare products | Lasbela |
| Petrochemical & energy | Oil refining (Byco), petrochemicals, CNG/power plants | Lasbela |
| Food processing & salt | Rice/food products, salt refining (Hub Pak Salt Refinery), beverages, snack foods | Lasbela |
| Fisheries & marine processing | Fish meal, dried fish, fish oil, shrimp | Lasbela (Gadani, Dhamb, Sonmiani) |
| Ship-breaking | Ship dismantling and scrap-metal recovery | Lasbela (Gaddani Shipbreaking Yard) |
| Agro-processing / horticulture | Fruit processing (apple, apricot, grape), wheat milling, dehydration, olive-oil potential | Mastung, Khuzdar |
| Livestock & dairy | Dairy (incl. Red Sindhi cattle breed), meat, wool, poultry/broiler farming | Khuzdar, Lasbela, Mastung, Awaran |
| Handicrafts | Balochi embroidery, chawat (traditional footwear), carpet weaving, wood/stone carving | Khuzdar, Kalat, Mastung |
Industrial Infrastructure — Kalat Division
Industrial estates / zones — 3 major facilities (lieda.gov.pk)
- Hub Industrial & Trading Estate (HITE) — 1,226 acres, 247 industries (154 operational), serving as Balochistan’s largest industrial estate with textile, engineering, chemical, food, pharmaceutical, and plastics clusters.
- Marble City Gaddani (MCG) — 660 acres (238 developed), dedicated to marble and dimension-stone processing.
- Winder Industrial & Trading Estate (WITE) — ~230 acres, hosting electronics and tin-plate manufacturing units.
Industrial focus: Kalat Division’s industrial infrastructure is primarily oriented toward marble/mineral processing, cement, automobile assembly and auto-parts, textile spinning, plastics and chemicals, ship-breaking, and fish/marine processing, reflecting the division’s mineral wealth and coastal proximity to Karachi rather than an agricultural base.
District Industry Profile
Lasbela District (division lead)
136 operational SMEs and four industrial estates, with HITE hosting 247 industries (154 operational). The district contributes about 90% of Balochistan’s industrial output and 70% of provincial revenue, making it the province’s industrial hub.
Khuzdar
Mining dominates the economy, with barite, chromite, marble, granite, and lead-zinc extraction alongside cottage industries in embroidery, carpet weaving, and traditional footwear. Formal manufacturing remains limited.
Kalat
Marble and stone quarrying, wood carving, and traditional handicrafts, including embroidery and rugs, form the district’s main industrial activities, with limited formal manufacturing.
Mastung
Fruit and horticulture processing, marble extraction, brick kilns, and flour milling are the district’s principal industries, supporting its agriculture-based economy.
Awaran
No significant formal industrial activity exists, with poor infrastructure and security constraints limiting mining, manufacturing, and processing industries.
Surab
The district has a negligible industrial base, with economic activity centered on agriculture, livestock, and small-scale local trade.
Economic Impact — Kalat Division
- Employment: HITE (Hub) alone provides an estimated 30,000 direct and 150,000 indirect jobs, while LIEDA manages over 95% of Balochistan’s industries.
- Exports: Marble and onyx, chromite, barite, textiles, and auto parts, with Marble City Gaddani accounting for over 90% of Balochistan’s marble exports.
- Industrial contribution: Lasbela generates around 90% of Balochistan’s industrial output and 70–80% of provincial revenue.
Growth Opportunities
- Marble & mineral value-addition: Modern stone processing and warehousing in Khuzdar and Lasbela.
- Agro-processing: Expansion of fruit and vegetable processing, cold storage, olive-oil production, and wheat milling.
- Fisheries & meat processing: Seafood exports, shrimp farming, and establishment of a formal meat-processing industry.
- Solar power: Large-scale solar energy projects to address industrial and energy needs.
District industry counts
Awaran District — Industries by Count
| Industry | Count |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing | 124 |
| Manufacturing | 152 |
| Electricity, gas, steam & air conditioning | 1 |
| Water supply, sewerage & waste management | 23 |
| Wholesale & retail trade / vehicle repair | 1,453 |
| Transportation & storage | 12 |
| Accommodation & food service | 71 |
| Information & communication | 7 |
| Financial & insurance activities | 3 |
| Real estate activities | 1 |
| Professional, scientific & technical | 1 |
| Administrative & support services | 11 |
| Public administration & defence | 27 |
| Education | 319 |
| Human health & social work | 51 |
| Arts, entertainment & recreation | 3 |
| Other service activities | 558 |
| Others | 6 |
Kalat — Industries by Count
| Industry | Count |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing | 388 |
| Manufacturing | 291 |
| Water supply, sewerage & waste management | 224 |
| Wholesale & retail trade / vehicle repair | 2,129 |
| Transportation & storage | 79 |
| Accommodation & food service | 165 |
| Information & communication | 38 |
| Financial & insurance activities | 14 |
| Real estate activities | 5 |
| Professional, scientific & technical | 8 |
| Administrative & support services | 16 |
| Public administration & defence | 73 |
| Education | 446 |
| Human health & social work | 72 |
| Arts, entertainment & recreation | 8 |
| Other service activities | 1,080 |
| Others | 8 |
Khuzdar — Industries by Count
| Industry | Count |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing | 2,976 |
| Mining & quarrying | 1 |
| Manufacturing | 1,182 |
| Water supply, sewerage & waste management | 726 |
| Construction | 6 |
| Wholesale & retail trade / vehicle repair | 8,795 |
| Transportation & storage | 297 |
| Accommodation & food service | 727 |
| Information & communication | 75 |
| Financial & insurance activities | 38 |
| Real estate activities | 20 |
| Professional, scientific & technical | 38 |
| Administrative & support services | 22 |
| Public administration & defence | 112 |
| Education | 1,452 |
| Human health & social work | 296 |
| Arts, entertainment & recreation | 19 |
| Other service activities | 3,264 |
Lasbela — Industries by Count
| Industry | Count |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing | 1,339 |
| Manufacturing | 1,622 |
| Electricity, gas, steam & air conditioning | 13 |
| Water supply, sewerage & waste management | 136 |
| Construction | 22 |
| Wholesale & retail trade / vehicle repair | 9,128 |
| Transportation & storage | 306 |
| Accommodation & food service | 1,363 |
| Information & communication | 157 |
| Financial & insurance activities | 55 |
| Real estate activities | 91 |
| Professional, scientific & technical | 57 |
| Administrative & support services | 47 |
| Public administration & defence | 148 |
| Education | 1,173 |
| Human health & social work | 444 |
| Arts, entertainment & recreation | 54 |
| Other service activities | 2,407 |
| Others | 236 |
Mastung — Industries by Count
| Industry | Count |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing | 888 |
| Manufacturing | 424 |
| Water supply, sewerage & waste management | 1,604 |
| Construction | 3 |
| Wholesale & retail trade / vehicle repair | 3,350 |
| Transportation & storage | 136 |
| Accommodation & food service | 181 |
| Information & communication | 61 |
| Financial & insurance activities | 14 |
| Real estate activities | 30 |
| Professional, scientific & technical | 13 |
| Administrative & support services | 17 |
| Public administration & defence | 77 |
| Education | 565 |
| Human health & social work | 86 |
| Arts, entertainment & recreation | 11 |
| Other service activities | 1,275 |
| Others | 24 |
Surab — Industries by Count
| Industry | Count |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing | 1,040 |
| Manufacturing | 181 |
| Water supply, sewerage & waste management | 225 |
| Construction | 3 |
| Wholesale & retail trade / vehicle repair | 1,317 |
| Transportation & storage | 26 |
| Accommodation & food service | 79 |
| Information & communication | 20 |
| Financial & insurance activities | 5 |
| Real estate activities | 2 |
| Professional, scientific & technical | 7 |
| Administrative & support services | 1 |
| Public administration & defence | 26 |
| Education | 324 |
| Human health & social work | 54 |
| Arts, entertainment & recreation | 1 |
| Other service activities | 654 |
| Others | 28 |
Source: PBS Economic Census 2023.
Key Notes — Kalat Division
- Mineral & industrial hub: Khuzdar and Lasbela anchor the division’s mining and marble industries, with chromite, barite, lead-zinc, granite, and dimension-stone processing.
- Industrial concentration: Lasbela hosts the division’s major industrial estates—HITE, Marble City Gaddani, and WITE—and accounts for around 90% of Balochistan’s industrial output.
- Export profile: Major exports include marble and onyx, chromite and barite ore, textiles, and auto parts, while the remaining districts are primarily agro-pastoral and mining-based economies with limited formal manufacturing.