Classification of Industries
Industries play a vital role in economy and development of a country.Industries are the backbone of a country.
Industries are classified as follows:
1. Foresst-based industry.
2. Mineral-based industry.
3. Pastoral industry.
4. Agro-based industry.
1. Forest-based industries
The industries which use wood for the purpose of manufacturing products are the forest-based industries.Industries making paper, handicrafts and sports good fall in this category.
Paper and Board Mills
Paper is made from wheat and rice straw.Both these crops grow in abundant.Everyone is well aware of importance of paper.It is used for books, notebooks,packing of different products etc.

 

Pakistan had no paper industry at the time of independance but now it holds 94 paper mills and 36 board mills to meet the needs of country.

Handicrafts
The people of Pakisstan are well known and famous in making different handmade products all over the world.The people of Pakistan have great talent of making hand made things, such as carpets, pottery, woodcraft, embroidery, and metal works.

Sports Goods
Sport goods are exported from Pakistan to all over the world because they are considered the best.Sialkot is the major manufacturer of sports goods in Pakistan.

2. Mineral-Based Industries
The industries manufacturing the products from minerals belong to this category, e.g. cement,glass,and steel industries.
Cement Plants
In Pakistan there are 24 cement plants.They are built in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Northern Punjab because these areas are rich in limestone and gypsum.These minerals are used as raw materials in cement industry.

Glass factories
Silica and lime are required for the manufacturing of glass.Lime is obtained by mining.Glass factories produce glass for buildings, kitchen ware, and for vehicles.Nowadays glass is also used to make furniture.

In Pakistan glass factories are opperating at Karachi, Jhelum, and Hyderabad.

Iron and Steel industry
Iron and steel industry is the most important industry in the world.In Pakistan, the steel mill is in Karachi having the annual production of 1.1 million tons.In taxila,there is a heavy mechanical complex.The machinery of cement and sugar industry is manufactured there.It also manufactures bulldozers and heavy lifts.

3. Pastoral Industries
The raw material for the pastoral industry is provided by the animals.Leather and woollen industries are the example of such industries.
Leatherworks
Pakistan has great talent in making different handmade products.Pakistan also exports leather products to all over the world.The leather here is cheap and good in quality than that of Europe and America.

 

Woollen textile industry
In Pakistan 70 woollen textile units are working.In hilly and sandy areas, sheep and goats are reared and fleece is obtained from them.Shawls, sweaters and blankets are the major products.

4. Agro-based Industries
These are the industries in which the agricultural products are processed to make the final products.Cotton, sugar and tobacco industries are the best examples.
Cotton Textile Industry
Cotton industry is the backbone of industries in Pakistan.Pakistan not only meets the needs and requirements of people but a large portion of cotton is also exported to other ccountries and earns about 60% of its foreign exchange.
In Pakistan 78 sugar mills are operating.The raw material for sugar indutries is the sugercane which is cultivated in Pakistan alot.The sugar mills produce up to 5 million metric tons of sugar.

Ghee and Oil Industry
Ghee and oil industry has a great importance for any country because food is cooked in oil and ghee.Seeds of different plants are the raw material for such industry, e.g. corn and sunflower.In Pakistan there are 166 ghee and oil industries producing 2.7 million tons of oil and ghee annually.

Pharmaceutical Industry
It is the lifesaving industry for any country as it makes medicens for different diseases.In Pakistan there are 23 international and over 300 local pharmaceutical industries operating.

Tobacco Industry
In Pakistan plenty of tobacco is cultivated.To meet the demand,there are 25 factories in Pakistan which produce 232 billion cigarettes annually.

Tea
The origin of tea was in China, but now it is grown all over the world.There are very few plantations of tea in Pakistan and is imported from different countries.