'Council being set up to address businessmen's problems'

President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Muhmmad Ashraf Malik has disclosed that a "Council" would soon be established to address the problems confronted by the business community of Sialkot, Gujranwala and Gujrat (Golden Economic Triangle) of the country.

Talking to Business Recorder on Sunday here, he said that the proposed Council would be consisting on the members of Sialkot, Gujranwala and Gujrat Chambers, adding that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) had already been signed in this regard.

A committee comprising members of Sialkot, Gujranwala and Gujrat Chambers would soon be constituted for ascertaining the problems of the business community and suggest ways and means for addressing the problems being faced by the business community of golden triangle he disclosed.

The triangle represents the highest SME base of Pakistan employing millions of skilled workforce and among highest per capita income in the country. The triangle holds its unique importance because of its production of highly value-added commodities being both exported local trade, he added.

The SCCI President disclosed that 9 Special Economic Zones Corridor (CPEC) mega project were being developed but no practical step had so far been taken for the development of SEZ in Golden Economic Triangle. Sialkot, Gujranwala and Gujrat Chambers were jointly urged upon the government to allocate a piece of land for setting up Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone which will open new era of prosperity and development in the region he said.

Despite the golden triangle had vibrant and strong industrial base producing for domestic and international markets the government was not taking any positive step for developing Special Economic Zone, he said. The three cities Sialkot, Gujranwala and Gujrat were trying to establish their positions as major stakeholders and contributors of national economy. These cities are known as the golden triangle of Pakistan with strongest industrial base but still unspoken he said.

Ashraf further added that major trade bodies of Sialkot, Gujranwala and Gujrat Chambers had urged upon the government to take drastic steps for exploiting the unrealized the potentials of unique economic golden triangle of the country. He said that collective efforts were being made for resolving the problems confronted by the business community of gold triangle on priority basis and trying to formulate a joint strategy for resolving the problems. The business community of Sialkot, Gujranwala and Gujrat was enjoying highly cordial relations and jointly struggling for boosting up the trade activities in the region, he said.