Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif held talks with a delegation from Chinese firms Kunlun Group and Sundar Green Group that resulted in in-principle approval for a 1,000-acre industrial estate in Lahore, signalling a major step in provincial industrialisation.
Both sides agreed to establish a solar panel manufacturing facility in Lahore to tap Pakistan’s expanding solar market amid the energy crisis, while Kunlun Group committed to providing advanced vocational and industrial training for 50,000 Pakistani students in China. The agreement aims to link the new industrial estate with local skills development to support manufacturing and green energy supply chains.
Officials also reviewed technology transfer plans for producing petrochemical products from coal, a move discussed as part of broader plans to diversify provincial industry. Maryam Nawaz assured investors of full government support, stressing that the administration will facilitate business rather than operate it and highlighting the provincial “Start Today” policy to accelerate project implementation.
The chief minister said the new projects could generate up to 18,000 jobs and underlined that Punjab has become one of the most attractive provinces for investment after two years of reforms. Delegation members included Wang Jin Hanan Sheng, CEO of Inner Mongolia Coal Mine, Zhao Gangbo, CEO of an investment company, and Sundar Green Group representatives Chairman Muhammad Abid, CEO Azim Iftikhar, Director Rana Faisal Hayat and OASIS CEO Danish Ahmed.
The focus on a large-scale industrial estate, combined with solar manufacturing and extensive skill training, reflects a coordinated push to strengthen Punjab’s manufacturing base and create sustainable employment as the province seeks to translate recent reforms into tangible industrial growth.
