Pakistan enjoys a unique position in the global trade with reference to sports goods and its main forte is hand-stitched inflatable balls and such masterpieces were being produced and exported for around 100 years now.
The Federal government had introduced a liberal policy for brining big boom in country's export and for the industrial growth and foreign investment. Both Federal and provincial governments had taken drastic steps for tracking the industrial sector on modern and scientific lines aimed at mitigating their problems on top priority basis.
The world trotters have introduced Sialkot as total export-oriented city of Pakistan. Since the place possess century old industrial heritage it has developed a unique export culture over the period and presently contributing 900 million dollars annually and strengthening the national exchequer.
The city has developed an unmatched industrial edge over other cities of the country especially in sports goods, surgical instruments, leather and leather garments, musical instruments and badges etc.
Sialkot the "City of Exports" has ever been playing a significant role in the development of the country by virtue of the yeomen skilled and craftsmen's services. The fame of Sialkot is not sudden and accidental it can be traced in the history and one can easily have a glance at the steady growing popularity of the city.
Exports from Sialkot are recognised all-over the world and there are certain industries in which the city had higher comparative advantage, which distinguishes it from the rest of the world. Sports goods industry especially the soccer balls industry and surgical instruments industry was playing a tremendous role in the exports of Sialkot.
About 85 percent of total production of soccer ball of the world comes from Sialkot, while all international brands are sourcing their supply of footballs from this export-oriented city and nucleus of cottage industry of the country. The sports goods industry is century old and had a special repute in producing hand stitched soccer balls and other sports products.
According to available statistic, the city is producing over 40 million balls annually worth 210 million dollars were producing by highly skilled male and female workforce of Sialkot. These balls were produced by a work force more than 60,000 including women folk and exported to world market by 1,000 plus entrepreneurs while the industry had totally been purged from the menace of child labour.
The soccer ball currently was facing serious threats in shape of "thermo-moulded ball" which uses medium end technology for producing a ball having most of the characteristics of hand-stitched ball. This new ball has been tested and played in a number of international football tournaments including world cup.
Keeping in view the gravity of the situation, Smeda under the directives of federal government had evolved a strategy for setting up a modern "Sports Goods Development Centre" (SIDC) in Sialkot at a cost of Rs 272.61 million for introducing thermo-moulded ball technology in Sialkot industry.
The prime objective of the project is to enable local sports goods sector to adopt new technology of mechanised ball, which is threatening to hand-stitched inflatable ball. The work on this project would be undertaken shortly and it would facilitate in sustaining Pakistan's in international market of hand-stitched inflatable balls in general and soccer balls in particular.
The surgical industry of Pakistan was enjoying globally the monopolistic position because no other country can produce surgical instruments in price ranging and quality. The surgical industry is manufacturing about 100 million instruments annually besides the industry is also manufacturing disposable instruments, which constitutes 60 percent of exports and reusable instruments that is 40 percent of the exports. There are about 1,200 small and medium surgical units functioning in and close to Sialkot with labour force of 60,000 workers.
Surgical industry represents manufacturers and exporters of surgical instruments, dental instruments, veterinary, pedicure and manicure items, tailor scissors, barber scissors and beauty saloon instruments with the total export of $.160 million annually.
To further accelerating the surgical industry, Punjab government had decided to establish surgical training institute and upgrading the existing Metal Industry Development Centre, Sialkot at a costing of more than Rs 300 million. The work on this project would be initiated during next fiscal year.
Similarly, under the directives of federal government Technology Up gradation and Skill Development Company (Tusdec) has also set up CAD/CAM centre at Sialkot equipped with the latest software, which is extensively used in industrial sector.
The step has been taken for making Sialkot self-sustained in designing and innovation and the centre would help the local industries especially Surgical and Sports goods industries.
Undoubtedly, the role of federal and provincial governments is tremendous in the modernisation and up gradation of industrial sector of Sialkot enabling the business community to work in pressure free environment and compete with the global market.
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