President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Mansoor Ahmed has said that there was a great need of establishing organised mini industrial estates and training institutions in this export-oriented city and hub of cottage industry for accommodating manufacturers and vendors.
Talking to reporters on Sunday he said these mini industrial areas should be developed in outskirts of Sialkot for providing employment opportunities to industrial workers to their doorstep. The purposed mini estates would not only help in expanding the radius of industrial sector but also support reducing the burden of the city as well as helping in accelerating the pace of productivity he said.
The SCCI President further stated that vending industry is an integral part of export industry and this sector should be accommodated in proposed mini estates for ensuring all facilities under one roof. He pointed out that there is only one small industrial estate in Sialkot and there is clear industrial need for setting up well planned mini industrial estates with necessary infrastructure to cater the need of small, medium and micro level industry of the area.
He said that SCCI had focused special attention on the promotion of SME sector enabling them to play their instrumental role in boosting up export volume. The business community was confronting with serious financial constrains due to non clearance of duty drawback claims and despite of certain problems our top priority is to promote trade and industry with the sole aim of enhancing the export volume to many folds he said.
The SCCI President further stated that outstanding refund claims was posing serious threats to exports and further delay in clearance of refund claims will be detrimental for national economy. Mansoor said that we are focusing on reducing the production cost of products and obtaining modern technology for the purpose adding that more common facility centres would be established with the active support of Commerce Ministry and Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to facilitate the SMEs of the area.
The SCCI President further stated that business community of this export-oriented city and hub of cottage industry was confronting serious problems due to the shortage skilled workforce. In order to protect the industrial sector government should establish training institution for producing skilled workforce and to cope with the burning issue of shortage of skilled work force.
Mansoor suggested that the industrial machinery should be made tax free enabling the business community to modernise its workplaces to cope with modern industrial challenges easily. The President SCCI further stated that business community of Sialkot was playing a pivotal role not only in strengthening the national exchequer but also in providing employment opportunities to thousands workers.
At present the exporters of the area were working with international brands while a large of businessmen working with regional brands he said. Mansoor said that 99 percent products produced in Sialkot were exported to different countries and the quality and standard of these products can compete with any international brands in the world market.
Despite of certain problems and constrains the business community of the area was making strenuous efforts for enhancing the trade volume and development of the export industry he said.
Mansoor said Sialkot is contributing US $2 billion annually to the national exchequer through its exports. We are making adequate efforts for modernising industrial sector of the area to compete international markets effectively he said.