There is no major industry except some cottage industry. The Industries Department started to construct an industrial estate on 50 acres of land at Loralai, but due to reluctance of investors no industry could be set up at the industrial estate.

There are no manufacturing units and big industries in Loralai district, however there are small enterprises with very few number of workers employed. The labour employed is mostly male.

The small enterprises comprise auto and electric repair, art and craft centres, banks, bakeries, bidi-makers, merchants, whole sellers, bricks kilns, blacksmiths, cobblers, cinemas, hotels, shoe and cap makers, tailors and other shops. Except for 10 flour mills, one ice factory, one soap factory, 13 mining and quarrying units, all units are of small nature and with very few workers. There are four sawmills, 3 dairy/poultry farms, 24 units of engineering and welding works, 10 furniture making shops, 3 brick kilns and 9 hotels and restaurants.

Except for a few shops (small general stores) attached to private houses where women are employed, all other enterprises are run by males. All these units do not require any license except for medical store, tobacco trades and arms sale.

There is one Technical Training Centre at Loralai, where training in turner, plumber, auto repair, T.V and radio repair, electricity, welding, carpentry, bench fitter and refrigerator repairing is given. Some 56 people are trained each year. The number of dropouts varies from 10 to 15 each year.

There are only some small manufacturing units of shoe making, carpentry shops, embroidery and soap making. Women are involved in weaving of carpet, durries, and woollen shawls. They are also involved in handicrafts. The embroidery work carried out by women is usually not sold. Mulberry trees grow in abundance in the area, but a silk industry has not been developed due to the fact that there are no reeling facilities in the district.

There is no traditional trade centre in the district. Trade is mostly conducted on retail basis and very few on whole sale bases. Almost all sorts of goods are traded. The major exports of the district are fresh fruits, dry fruits, hide and skins and wool. All other items are brought in the district either from the provincial capital or from Punjab province.

The tourism industry is not developed, although the natural tourist attraction resorts are there. The underdeveloped infrastructure is a barrier for the development of the tourism industry. Other facilities like good hotels, refreshment areas and developed picnic spots are lacking.

The embroidery work has several varieties in the district. In Duki they include "Gulan" which is the best, and represents a flower, "Charposh", "Khajur"’ or a date tree, and Sukrai. In Loralai the best known is "Chakan" which is worked on sleeves, front pieces of shirts, and on "Masae" or "Paicha", "Gaiters" which are worn by Pashtoon women. In Sanjavi the common designs are "Nokan", "Karak", "Kumi", "Khajur", and "Buhari" worked on shirt fronts and "Chakan"’ "Sargai", "Karzah" and "Taki" worked on sleeves.

The other articles manufactured in the district are "Peshawars", Kormah and Shagai which are carpets. "Khurjins"’ "Pokh Ghindae" and "Darwar ghindae" (Corn sacks), "Uzhdan" (bag for keeping cloths), "Marai tubrai" (a case for keeping bread), "Sarai" (Blanket) and goat hair blanketing for "Kizhdis" or tents. The tribal women are very good at the art of embroidery but they do not work on commercial basis. Women are mostly involved in darri and blanket making, carpet weaving, and caps and women dressmaking etc.

The Industries Department at the provincial level has two Directorates, one under the Director Industries, the other under the Director Small Industries. The carpet and embroidery training centres are under the jurisdiction of the Small Industries Directorate.

There were two carpet training centres, one at Loralai and the other at Duki. The Duki centre has now been closed down. There are 12 male and 7 female trainees between the age of 12 to 15 years. There are four teachers, 3 male and one female. Each trainee is given Rs.400/- per month as a stipend. The staff employed in Loralai Carpet Training Centre consists of one Assistant Manager, a Cashier, a Junior Clerk, a Chowkidar and a peon. Two trainees make a carpet of size of 4x6 feet⁵⁷ in three months. One Embroidery Training Centre is also run by the Directorate of Small Industries. There are 8 female trainees and one Assistant Manager and a female teacher, with a junior clerk also working in the centre. This centre complained about the non-availability of raw materials for the training.

The industrial and manufacturing sector is almost non-existent. The main reasons are lack of infrastructure, low education levels, and lack of potential areas for investment. Lack of markets and raw materials are other obstacles to industrialisation. Except for fruit processing and canning units, there is no real scope for setting up other industries. Most of the jobs and livelihood are provided by the agriculture and livestock sectors. Mining of coal and quarrying are under- developed. With increased mechanization of agriculture and improved exploitation of coal and underground water, the fate of the people in the district could be changed.

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