SIALKOT: As many as 40 junior diplomats from European, Latin American, African, Middle East, South Asian and Central Asian countries have stressed the need for making sincere efforts to develop business-to-business contacts of Sialkot-based businessmen with their counterparts in other countries .
They stated this while discussing in details the matters of mutual interest with Sialkot exporters during an important meeting held at Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), after visiting several leading industrial units in Sialkot here on Monday. Acting SCCI President Adnan Arshad Sethi presided over the meeting. Sajjad Haider Khan (Director Pakistan Foreign Service Academy Islamabad) led this delegation of the foreign diplomats. The visiting foreign diplomats also pledged to promote the “soft image” of Pakistan in their respective countries.
The foreign diplomats added that the world should focus on broadening the scope of mutual cooperation by extending it to the areas of trade, investment, and energy and infrastructure development with Pakistan.
They discussed in details the matters of mutual interest with Sialkot business community. They highly hailed the unique export culture of Sialkot. They also highly appreciated the Sialkot exporters for establishing several mega projects including Sialkot international airport, Sialkot Dry Port Trust, Sialkot Export Processing Zone (EPZ), Sports Industries Development Centre and now even their own private airline on self help basis.
The foreign diplomats were of the view that the Sialkot exporters have set the unique examples of self help, advising the others to replicate these examples as well.
On this occasion, the acting SCCI President Adnan Arshad Sethi gave a detailed briefing about the achievements, targets , future goals of the Sialkot exporters and Sialkot’s socio-economic and human development on self help basis by Sialkot exporters.
He told the foreign diplomats that there was a huge scope for establishing joint ventures and business cooperation between their respective countries and Sialkot-Pakistan based companies especially in the field of Sports Goods, Surgical Instruments, Leather Products and Information Technology.
He added that there is an urgent need to strengthen linkages between private sectors of their respective countries with Pakistan for enhancing bilateral trade.
Giving briefing to the visiting junior foreign diplomats, the SCCI acting President Adnan Arshad Sethi narrated that Sialkot is Pakistan’s export capital and an SME industrial city, which represents an economy and a breed of entrepreneurs quite different from that nurtured in Pakistan over the years. Sialkot has a high degree of exposure to the international economy with entrepreneurs visiting worldwide market, participating in numerous trade fairs abroad and hosting visits of foreign buyers. Even the smallest of exporter is likely to boast of extensive travel history for maintaining contact with the outside world. They have moved between different cultures and places. This exposure to the international environment has led to the realization that firms have to become more professional in order to compete favorably in the international market.
Sialkot represents an industrial setup producing specialized products that are supplied to top brands and buyers all over the world. We produce Sports Goods, Surgical Instruments, Leather Products, and Gloves of all sorts, Textiles Items, Sports Wear, Martial Arts Uniforms & Accessories, Musical Instruments, Kitchen Ware & Table ware, Hollow Ware, Hunting Knives, Table Cutlery/Flatware, and Military Uniform Badges. The city is earning US $ 2 Billion annually to play instrumental role in strengthening economy, he added.
The foreign diplomats also showed keen interest in a documentary on “Sialkot…a city of opportunities” shown them during the meeting by SCCI management.
