Sialkot city: authorities urged to facilitate investors' visits

The exporters' community of Sialkot has urged the federal government and Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to ensure visits of foreign investors and other trade delegations in the export-oriented city and hub of cottage industries of the country.
Sialkot possesses a unique export culture, as a result of which many foreign companies are entering into joint ventures with local firms. This reflects the confidence of multi-national companies in the abilities of manufacturers of Sialkot. With the passage of time, the scope of joint ventures is widening due to the personal efforts of the business community of this export-oriented city.
However, despite possessing rich export culture and bright opportunities in different trade fields, Sialkot is being totally ignored; visits of foreign trade delegation and investors have been restricted to other cities of the country by concerned authorities.
At present, Sialkot is exporting sports goods, surgical instruments, badges, soccer balls, and cutlery and martial art uniforms amounting to over US one million dollars annually, growing at steady pace. Sialkot is the only export-oriented city of Pakistan and is known world over for its high quality sporting goods, surgical instruments, leather goods, gloves etc. Hundreds of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are situated in and around the city that are engaged in producing high quality goods for exports to international markets.
Traditionally, people of Sialkot are generous, hardworking, creative and committed to their cause which, undoubtedly, is exports. The city has developed unique SME culture that is highly conducive to business collaborations and joint ventures in its industries.
Moreover, the mega project of Sialkot International Airport is successfully underway and it is expected that with its functioning, export volume would further increase in this hub of cottage industries of the country.
It is high time that all concerned high-ups especially TDAP and the commerce ministry concentrate on the visit of foreign trade delegations and investors to the city of Allama Iqbal and nucleus of cottage industries.