Emerging business independence

There is something unique in the air of Sialkot which makes this city different from the rest in the country, if not in the region.

Sialkot has produced luminaries such as Iqbal and Faiz to name a few, who commanded worldwide recognition. Its skilled craftsmen are providing, for the last 100 years, world-class sports goods to international sports events, including the Olympics and Asian Games. The city's industrial landscape is unique and undoubtedly remarkable. Its industrial spread only comprises Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Yet this fraternity exports $ 2.5 billion of good quality value-added goods - year after year. The city is the third richest in the country and the richest in terms of per capita wealth with an equitable distribution of wealth between the owners and the employees. The city has never witnessed any labour unrest. One of the apparent reasons behind this distinction is that the industrialists of this city work in close harmony as a close knit fraternity, conducting and controlling its affairs with least dependence on the will or conduct of the government of the day, while distancing themselves from the influence of politicians' expediency at national or city level.

The Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and industry is the driving force. Its members, out of their own funding, have built mega projects like Sialkot dry port and an airport; and now they have launched an airline. All these are business-oriented ventures and managed as such with equity participation by the Chamber's members. This makes all the difference when compared with government-funded and managed business ventures. The new airline has 450 equity partners from among the members of this chamber.

The Sialkot business model is a sustainable model of proven success. Its replication in other parts of the country is desirable but extremely challenging, notably, in mega cities like Karachi and Lahore.

However, the business dynamics in these cities are also going through a change with business entrepreneurs taking over much of control from the government - specially in self-contained industrial zones being set up in the country. Here, much of the zone activities are monitored and influenced by the industrialists - as the primary stakeholders.

Another encouraging development is that country's businessmen have finally decided to distance themselves from political expediency by ignoring politicians' calls of anti-government protests. Pakistan stock exchange, which is highly sensitive to evolving political dynamics, and other businesses have been working as usual in the midst of protests by opposition parties.

In the past, political parties used to mobilise trade and student unions in their support. This phase is over as the unions well understood that there is nothing for them in it. The political parties are left only one option to step up pressure on the incumbent government: shutter-down and road blocks. It means the small traders will be required to cease their business activities in support of opposition's agenda. This phase too appears to be dying out fast.

(The writer is former President Overseas Investors Chambers of Commerce and Industry)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020