SIALKOT: High Commissioner of Australia to Pakistan Margaret Adamson has shown keen interest in local-made sports goods during her visit to several leading industrial units in Sialkot.
She said that Sialkot is an amazing city which has the complete gender equality in the local industrial and manufacturing units. She said that there were 50 percent female employees in the soccer balls industry.
Australian High Commissioner also visited the Sialkot international airport and highly hailed the trendy Sialkot exporters for establishing the mega project of Sialkot international airport on self help basis. She said that the Sialkot exporters have set a unique example of self help by establishing this airport on self help basis, advising the others to replicate it.
Chairman Sialkot International Airport Limited (SIAL) Malik Muhammad Ashraf and SIAL directors were also present on this occasion.
Flanked by the officials of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), the visiting Australian High Commissioner Ms. Margaret Adamson witnessed the production process of the sports goods and she highly hailed the international standard craftsmanship of the Sialkot based artisans.
“Today, I have witnessed a height of excellence in Sialkot industry and I am proud to be in Sialkot”, she admired.
She said that the Sialkot exporters have a great potential to explore and capture the international trade markets of Australia by exporting their world class traditional and non-traditional export products.
She also highly hailed the unique export culture of Sialkot and Sialkot’s socio-economic and human development on self help basis by the Sialkot exporters as well.
On this occasion, the Australian High Commissioner said that the Australia is intending to boost the mutual trade ties with Pakistan besides making all out sincere efforts to remove hurdles from the way of smooth promotion and strengthening the mutual trade between Pakistan and Australia.
The Sialkot exporters told the visiting Australian High Commissioner that there was no doubt to say that Sialkot-made Sports Goods, Surgical Instruments, Leather Products, Gloves of all sorts, Textiles Items, Sports Wear, Martial Arts Uniforms & Accessories, Musical Instruments, Kitchen Ware, Hollow Ware, Knives, Cutlery items and Military Uniform Badges etc. could find a good market in Australia. The main hurdle is direct link between business communities of both countries. There is lack of communication and proper marketing, they added.
Sialkot exporters further told that most of the developed countries are importing surgical instruments from Sialkot. In leather products and textile sportswear, we compete with other countries, in quality and style. Similar is the case with other items produced in Sialkot.
