Sialkot is an important economic hub and totally export-oriented city of the country and the only export-oriented city in Pakistan where 99 percent products produced and are exported to various parts of the globe. Through export, Sialkot based small and medium industries were earning foreign exchange amounting over US 2.25 billion dollars yearly and strengthening the national exchequer.
Under the current situation there was a great need of a "Separate Business Strategy" for Sialkot keeping in view its unique export culture and craftsmanship enabling it play significant role in earning maximum foreign exchange for the country. Their business acumen, the local exporters have excelled in foreign trade but they have paid special attention to fulfilling their social responsibility. Exceptional achievements in business, the corporate sector is fully vigilant to its responsibilities towards social sector and has played significant role in this regard on "Self-help Basis" which has become now the culture of Sialkot.
Sialkot made footballs, field hockey sticks, cricket gear and boxing gloves were used in international games including the Olympics and World Cups. It may be mentioned that surgical and sports goods industries are the oldest industries which were playing tremendous role not only in strengthening the national economy but also in providing employment opportunities to hundreds industrial workers.
Most of the developed countries were importing surgical instruments from Sialkot and everyday, hundreds of surgeries were performed around the world by surgeons using the instruments made in Sialkot.
Thus Sialkot made instruments were playing a silent but significant role in healing of wounds and fighting disease worldwide.
Despite several problems the local exporters and manufacturers were fulfilling their international commitments to keep the national economic wheel in full motion and to compete global market that needs special attention for upgrading industrial sector for tracking industrial sector on modern production lines for bringing radical change and need of formulation of a separate business plan for Sialkot for enhancing the productivity and bringing innovation in products to cope with the challenges of international market.
The industrial technology has improved the production line worldwide but due to lack of funds and government support local industrial sector was lagging behind and without the support and cooperation of the government the tracking of local industrial sector on modern lines is impossible.
In addition to this there was a need of setting up of training institutions for producing skilled and semi skilled work force for the industrial sector of Sialkot because currently the industrial sector was facing acute shortage of trained labour. The timely support of the government will not only help in modernization of local industrial sector but it will also supportive in enhancing the export volume to manifolds.
It may be added that exports and manufacturing activities were at lowest ebb because of unfriendly polices of the government. These policies will not only hit the exports of the country but also generate large scale unemployment in the country. Most of seasoned exporters were of the opinion that government should reconsider on its policies for the larger national interest and safeguarding the export sector of the country.
We must not forget that during past two decades the governments had tried to undo zero rating twice but failed miserably hence zero rating was reintroduced they pointed out.