Hisense launch reflects global confidence in Pakistan’s industrial future: SAPM
Haroon Akhtar Khan said Hisense's Pakistan launch shows global confidence in the country's industrial potential and investment climate.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
At a Lahore launch event, the SAPM framed the Hisense-Airlink partnership as evidence that Pakistan is moving toward a more production-led economy. He linked the deal to jobs, technology transfer, local manufacturing, and broader industrial policy reforms.
A big electronics company started working with a Pakistani firm to make products locally. The government says this is like opening a new workshop that can create jobs, teach new skills, and help Pakistan make more things instead of buying them all from outside.
Analysis
What happened
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan spoke at the Hisense launch ceremony in Lahore, organized by Airlink Communication Limited at Expo Center. He described the launch as evidence of global confidence in Pakistan’s economic potential, industrial capability, and investment climate.
The message from the government
Khan said the Hisense-Airlink partnership is more than a product launch. In his view, it represents a model of industrial collaboration that combines foreign technology, local manufacturing, skilled Pakistani workers, and long-term economic value. He said the partnership should support technology transfer, skills development, industrial upgrading, and job creation.
He linked the event to the government’s broader industrial agenda under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. According to him, Pakistan is trying to build a productive, competitive, export-oriented, and technology-driven economy. He said the National Industrial Policy is aimed at improving industrial competitiveness, attracting investment, promoting value-added manufacturing, and increasing exports.
Why local manufacturing is central
Khan stressed that every television assembled locally and every air conditioner manufactured in Pakistan helps reduce imports, preserve foreign exchange, and create jobs. He also praised Airlink’s manufacturing base in the Sundar Special Economic Zone, calling it a sign of Pakistani entrepreneurship and innovation.
He said such facilities are not just factories, but engines of economic progress and centers for building skilled human capital. He also noted that Airlink employs more than 2,500 people, including a significant number of women, which he presented as an example of inclusive growth.
Bigger picture
The SAPM tied the launch to wider shifts in global industry, including AI, smart manufacturing, advanced electronics, digital commerce, automation, and renewable technologies. His argument was that Pakistan should embrace those changes and position itself as a manufacturing hub rather than remain mainly a consumer market.
He also highlighted Pakistan-China economic cooperation, saying the partnership reflects a new phase focused on industrial collaboration, business-to-business integration, and shared prosperity.
Key points
- Haroon Akhtar Khan said the Hisense launch shows global confidence in Pakistan's industrial future.
- He described the Hisense-Airlink partnership as a model for technology transfer, local manufacturing, and job creation.
- The SAPM linked the event to Pakistan's industrial policy, tariff reforms, and ease-of-doing-business measures.
- He said local manufacturing helps reduce imports, conserve foreign exchange, and build industrial capacity.
- He framed the launch as part of deeper Pakistan-China industrial cooperation.
If the partnership expands as described, it could support local manufacturing, create more jobs, and help move more electronics production into Pakistan. It could also strengthen technology transfer and encourage other investors to see Pakistan as a serious production base.
The benefits may stay limited if the launch does not lead to sustained production, deeper skills transfer, or broader export growth. If policy reforms stall or costs remain high, the promised shift from imports to manufacturing may not move beyond a launch-event narrative.
