SIALKOT: The newly elected cabinet of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has vowed to continue struggle for ensuring the early completion of the mega projects in the city.
The mega projects include establishing Sialkot exporters’ own airline “Air Sial”, establishing an international standard Sialkot Business and Trade Center, Sialkot Tanneries Zone, Sialkot Engineering University and another Small Industrial Estate at Sialkot, which will enable the small traders, exporters and vendors to establish their own small industrial units there.
The newly elected SCCI Cabinet, today, sworn in during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the auditorium of SCCI here on Wednesday Sialkot business community’s leader Sheikh Riaz d Din administrated oath to newly elected SCCI President Maj (Rtd) Mansur Ahmed, SVP Sarfraz Ahmed Butt and VP Syed Ehtisham Gillani during this prestigious ceremony largely attended by the Sialkot’s leading business and financial tycoons here today. Deputy Group Leader Dr. Muhammad Aslam Dar, former SCCI Presidents, SVPs, VPs and the heads of Sialkot’s all the main trade bodies also attended this ceremony.
It remained the mega event of Sialkot today. A large number of the exporters and leading financial and business tycoons attended it and showed keen interest, in this regard.
Addressing the participants, newly elected SCCI Maj (Rtd) Mansur Ahmed said that the exporters of Sialkot are the “Roaming Ambassadors of Pakistan”, who travel all around the world to fetch business and with their personal efforts, the export earnings of Sialkot stand at US $ 1.8 billion annually. He said that the Sialkot exporters had been earning precious foreign exchange to the tune of US $ 1.8 billion annual , besides, playing a pivotal role in strengthening the national economy and boosting the national exports as well.
While, delivering his speech, the SCCI outgoing President Fazal Jillani gave a detailed briefing on Sialkot’s unique export culture and Sialkot’s marvelous socio-economic development on self help basis by Sialkot business community. He said that export-oriented Sialkot city has successfully followed the examples of Japan, Germany, Korea, Taiwan and other countries in development of SME culture in Sialkot, as the Sialkot based SMEs have been producing only exportable items and enjoy special status in the international market for its products. Government and other financial institutions are lending support to the export sector and we are foreseeing growth of exports and development of SMEs at a fast pace in Sialkot.
The participants of the meeting were told that the Sialkot is the only export-oriented city of Pakistan, where 99 percent industrial production is meant for exports. The products including Sports Goods, Surgical Instruments, Leather Products, Textile Items, Martial Arts Uniforms & Accessories, Musical Instruments, Knives & Cutlery items and Military Uniform badges etc, produced in Sialkot are exported to all parts of the world. Sialkot made footballs, filed hockey sticks, cricket gears and sports wears are used in Olympics, World Cups, Asian Games and other international events.
Similarly, the surgical instruments are being imported by most of the developed countries from Sialkot-Pakistan for re-export purposes under their own brand names, while,, in leather garments, leather gloves and textile sports wears, Sialkot exporters are competing with other countries in quality.
Group Leader Riazud Din Sheikh highly hailed the unique export culture of Sialkot. He said that the Sialkot businessmen also have better awareness about the industrial set up of Sialkot and socio-economical development projects taken in hand by the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI).
He said that it is high time that both local and foreign investors should see Pakistan with fresh eyes. He added that globalization has brought the countries of the world closure and trade and other barriers are being used out which provide good opportunity for improving bilateral and multilateral trade.
Undoubtedly, universal remedy of the developing world lies in a vibrant and vigorous economy, which alone could address poverty alleviation and un-employment, he narrated.
