Lahore's GDP is projected to be billion by the year 2025, with a
slightly higher growth rate of 5.6% per annum. Central to Lahore's economy is
the Lahore Stock Exchange (LSE), Pakistan's second largest stock exchange.
Lahore has offices of several Pakistani government corporations including the
Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and Water and Sewage Authority
(WASA). Food and restaurant businesses remain open all night. Lahore is the
second largest financial hub of Pakistan and has industrial areas including Kot
Lakhpat and the new Sundar Industrial Estate (near Raiwand). Lahore's economic
base is broad and varied. The city is the engineering hub of Pakistan. Major
industries include the manufacture of automobiles and motorcycles, Heavy
machinery, railway coaches, home appliances, steel, telecommunications,
information technology, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, computers, engineering, and
construction material. A major industrial agglomeration with about 9,000 industrial
units, Lahore has shifted in recent decades from manufacturing to service
industries. Some 42% of its work force is employed in finance, banking, real
estate, community, cultural, and social services. The city is Pakistan's
largest software producing centre, and hosts a growing computer-assembly
industry. Lahore's economic strength relies on the fact that it is the biggest
city of Pakistan's most populous province. It is also the most advanced in
terms of infrastructure, having extensive and relatively well developed road
links to all major cities in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a rail link with
India and the province's biggest International airport. It also has the most
developed communications infrastructure in the Pakistan, which includes a wide
network of fiber optic telephone and cable lines, GSM mobile network, IPP and
WiMax. It has the most developed education and health sectors as well, making
it the economic, political and educational hub of the Pakistan
