ISLAMABAD: Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) President Zubair Ahmed Malik has called for a regional strategy for cooperation and collaboration in cluster development in South Asia.
Malik, while speaking at the 3rd Global Economic Summit (GES) with the theme, ‘Clusters in One World – Perspectives from Many Nations’, being held at World Trade Centre in Mumbai, asked the government and business community of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) countries to enhance cooperation to achieve the shared goal of development in today’s globalised world.
He said that Pakistani industrial clusters play a vital role in earning foreign exchange which include textiles, sports goods, leather, gemstones, surgical instruments, hunting equipment and cutlery which have come up against a number of unique Pakistan-specific, regional and international challenges.
“Evidence suggests that industrial clusters are the key contributors to the socio-economic development therefore cluster promotion has become an important plank of national and international policies but the Saarc region has been lagging behind in it,” he noted.
He said that Sialkot and Jalandhar can join hands to produce quality sports goods, primarily in the area of hand-stitched balls and footballs while New Delhi can assist us with the technology needed to upgrade surgical sector.
Various cities in and around Maharashtra are close to Pakistan that may be able to explore opportunities for collaboration.
Malik said that both countries should organised more events in which experts can share their insights. “We need to increase interaction, learn and teach new technologies, address policy issues, develop partnerships and promote entrepreneurship, increase productivity and help companies compete nationally and globally”, he added.
