Core sector industries grew by 6.4 percent in March, as against a decline of (-)0.7 in the same month last year. This has happened on the back of high production rate of fertilizer, cement, petroleum and electricity. The infrastructure sector growth in March was backed heavily by 22.9 percent growth in fertilizer production, 11.9 percent in cement and 11.3 in electricity generation. Coal production increased by 1.7 percent and and steel by 3.4 percent. However, natural gas production declined by 10.5 percent while growth in crude oil was down by 5.1 percent. In February, the infrastructure sector growth had gone upwards at a 15-month high of 5.7 percent.