Local exporter community has appealed to the federal and provincial governments to set up "Sports goods, leather and surgical instruments" cities to facilitate the SMEs of this export-oriented city and hub of cottage industry of the country said Senior Vice President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mian Muhammad Anwar here Sunday.
Talking to Business Recorder he said Sialkot is earning foreign exchange more than US 1.6 billion dollars annually and strengthening the national economy despite various problems and power outage. At present the different industries were scattered and functioning in and around Sialkot as well as in residential areas which were creating problems for the dwellers, he pointed out.
Anwar was of the opinion that the setting up of these cities would not only help reduce the multifarious problems and difficulties being confronted by the SMEs but also help in enhancing the export volume from the city as well as provide all facilities to the business community under one roof.
The establishment of surgical and sports goods cities in this export oriented city would enable the SMEs engaged with sports, leather and surgical industries to establish the work places in these cities. In recent past the scenario of Sialkot has taken a very sharp turn after the functioning of Sialkot International Airport in the area that has opened new horizon of industrial development in Sialkot, Gujranwala and Gujrat areas as well as help in increasing the export volume he added.
The SVP further said the development of cottage industries in Sialkot has assumed a model status for the developing world. The city is sprinkled with thousands of small and medium enterprises, which are engaged in honouring their global commitments for export of valve-added quality goods such as sports goods, Surgical Instruments, Leather Goods, Gloves, Badge and Musical Instruments etc. The Sialkoties exporters are the "Roaming Ambassadors" of Pakistan which are not only travelling for fetching the highly valuable foreign exchange for the country but making efforts to introduce Pakistan through their products.
Surgical industry of Pakistan globally was enjoying the monopolistic position because no other country can produce surgical instruments in price ranging and quality and Pakistan made surgical instruments are most economical in the world coupled with unconditional guarantee of finest quality besides world-renewed companies of surgical are entering into joint ventures with Pakistani companies he said.
Mian Anwar said the Surgical industry represents manufacturers and exporters of surgical instruments, dental instruments, veterinary, pedicure and manicure items, tailor scissors, barber scissors and beauty saloon instruments and the industry was manufacturing about 100 million instruments annually besides the industry was also manufacturing disposable instruments which constitutes 60 percent of exports and reusable instruments is 40 percent of the export.
Leather and its products have also received appreciation in the world market despite being a relatively new industry. The leather garments, leather gloves, musical instruments and textile sports wear manufactured in Sialkot are competing with other countries in quality and price. The hand embroidered badges and uniforms accessories have also achieved good reputation in the international market he said.
The SVP said that industrial set up is facing serious hardships because of non-availability of skilled and semi-skilled labour and under the circumstance the government should take step for setting industry base training institutions' to facilitate the local industry. The induction skilled labour in industrial sector would not only help resolve the problem of the industry but also in improving the standard and quality of the products he said.
On voluntarily basis, the local business community is playing a tremendous role in bringing boom in exports besides fulfilling the social responsibilities and the uplift of the city. It is expected that government functionaries would pay proper heed on the proposal of setting up of Sports goods and surgical cities in Sialkot at earliest possible.