The Pakistani steel sector has been in the process of rapid change and development since the mid-1970s. The increasing demand for steel in the country, coupled with the changes and developments taking place within its government, had led to significant growth and development over the past few decades. In this article, we will explore the history of Pakistani steel and how it has evolved over time, as well as look at what future developments can be expected in this important industry.
The Pakistani steel sector has had an interesting history of development and change since its inception in 1973, beginning with the foundation of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) and other smaller steel mills in the area of Orangi Town, Karachi. Through the years, many changes have come to the Pakistani steel sector, but the goal has always remained the same: to provide enough steel to satisfy domestic demand at an affordable price while remaining profitable. By 2016, it had become apparent that this goal was not being fully achieved by the industry, despite its best efforts.
Pre-Partition History
Until the partition of British India, the steel industry in Pakistan was mainly located in the eastern region. The first integrated steel mill in the country was established by a private company, Karachi Steel Company Limited (KSC) in 1947. KSC started off as a small-scale plant and grew over time to produce more than 20 percent of Pakistan’s total steel requirement. The company also played an important role during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War when it supplied large quantities of steel to the national defense sector.
Partition and Post-Partition History
Pakistani steel production was amongst the lowest in the world in 1947 but has grown to become one of the highest producers in Asia, with a capacity to produce 15 million tonnes annually. There have been many developments in the steel sector over time, including post-partition history. The industry faced significant difficulties following partition because many skilled workers migrated from India to Pakistan and because Indian businesses refused to sell raw materials, such as coal and iron ore, to their counterparts on the other side of the border. However, since then things have improved steadily with large investments into new plants by various international companies
The Steel Mills Crisis of the 1970s
In the 1970s, the steel mills crisis arose when imports from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and other countries flooded the market. This led to a sharp decline in steel prices that crippled Pakistan’s steel industry. The government responded by imposing an import ban on all types of metal products but this only worsened the problem by cutting off domestic manufacturers from their main source of raw materials. At this time, Pakistan had no alternative sources for its steel production.
This led to a downturn in demand for finished goods as well as an increase in unemployment rates.
Privatization and Restructuring in the 1990s
In the 1990s, Pakistan’s steel industry faced a period of privatization and restructuring. The government was not able to provide enough capital to support the large steel companies, so they were privatized in 1994. This meant that their shares were released on the open market where they could be bought by investors. Government officials had hoped that this would lead to more investment in these companies, which would then lead to job creation and economic growth. It was also hoped that the private sector would be better at adapting to changes in demand for steel products than the public sector had been. However, this privatization did not yield any benefits for many of these companies as they continued to struggle with excessive debt burdens, outdated technology, increasing competition from abroad, low productivity rates, and a lack of skilled labor force.
The New Millennium
In the early 2000s, the government of Pakistan sought to improve the steel industry by increasing production capacity. In 2003, a new steel mill was constructed in Karachi with an annual capacity of 1.5 million tons. The project was funded by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and cost $500 million USD. The construction was completed in 2005, but due to economic difficulties associated with low demand for steel, it has yet to be fully operationalized. To alleviate these problems, the government has enacted a number of initiatives such as establishing a tariff on imported steel products to promote domestic production.
