Chairman Sialkot Dry Port Trust (SDPT) Muhammad Ishaq Butt said the port is providing adequate facilities to the business communities of Sialkot, Gujranwala and Gujrat-the golden triangle of Punjab.
In an interview with Business Recorder here on Friday he said it has developed its own fleet of customs bonded vehicles, which is the first largest bonded carrier in private sector and fourth overall after Pakistan railway, National Logistic Cell (NLC) and Pakistan International Airline (PIA) all three public sectors.
Since its inception it had progressed to such extent whereby it has established itself as one of the busiest dry ports of the country, he said. The Chairman SDPT said that Sialkot dry port has a unique honour of being first ever dry port established in private sector in Asia in 1985 and inaugurated in 1986. The main industrial cities of Sialkot, Gujranwala, Wazirabad, Daska and Gujrat are being provided export facilities at their doorstep, he added. SPD mainly an export-oriented port but has also contributed towards import for not only capital goods but also for re-export material which is resulting in sizeable amount of revenue for the government on account of customs duty, he revealed.
Ishaq Butt further said that SDP has been playing its tremendous role since its establishment in enhancing the export and strengthening the national economy; he added further that it started with first year exported cargo valuing Rs 1.8 billion and within a period of 25 years there has been steady growth in value of export cargo which is touching to Rs 33 billion. SDP had its own fleet of customs bonded vehicles which is the first largest carrier in private sector comprising more than 70 vehicles providing quality services in terms of lesser transit time, safety and reliability, he added.