Government urged to ensure foreign trade teams' visit to Sialkot

Local exporter community has urged upon the federal government and Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) that the visit of foreign investors and other trade delegations should be ensured to Sialkot. Sialkot possesses a unique export culture as a result of which many foreign companies were entering into joint ventures with local firms reflecting the confidence of multi-nationals in abilities of manufacturers of Sialkot.
With the passage of time the scope of joint ventures was widening day by day due to the personal efforts of the business community of this export-oriented city of the country. Despite possessing rich export culture and bright opportunities of joint ventures in different trade fields, Sialkot was being totally ignored and the visit of foreign trade delegation and investors restricted to other cities of the country by the concerned authorities.
At present Sialkot is exporting sports goods, surgical instruments, badges, musical instruments, soccer balls ,leather products and martial art Uniforms etc amounting to over US 2 billion dollars annually and growing at steady pace. Sialkot is the only export-oriented city of Pakistan and known world widely for its export of high quality sporting goods, surgical instruments, leather goods, gloves, musical instruments etc. Hundreds of SMEs are situated in and around city that are engaged in producing high quality goods for export to international markets.
The city has developed unique SME culture highly conducive to business collaborations and joint ventures in various industries in Sialkot. Keeping in view the importance of export culture, Export Processing Zone had been established which is second biggest zone in the country where special incentives, cheap labour and infrastructure facilities are available.
In addition to this, the mega project of Sialkot International Airport was functioning successfully functioning and it is expected that export volume would further be increased with the functioning of airport in this export-oriented city and hub of cottage industry of the country. It is high time that all concerned high-ups especially TDAP and Commerce Ministry should concentrate on the visit of foreign trade delegations and investors to Sialkot.