How did the iron and steel mill near Karachi contribute to Pakistan's industrial development?

In the 1970s and early 1980s, Pakistan established an integrated iron and steel mill at Pipri, near Karachi, with technical assistance and financial support from the Soviet Union. This project was a significant component of the country's broader industrialization efforts, which aimed to shift from producing primarily consumer goods toward the development of intermediate goods and capital goods.

To support the operational requirements of this facility, the government constructed a new port, Port Qāsim, specifically designed to facilitate the import of essential raw materials, including iron ore and coal, required for steel production.1