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+--- Thread: SIALKOT: The 2nd highest exporter city of Pakistan (/thread-sialkot-the-2nd-highest-exporter-city-of-pakistan)
SIALKOT: The 2nd highest exporter city of Pakistan - Muhammad Adnan Arshad - 06-28-2006
To enhance the exports of country, we need sufficient trained workforce for our industries. The road to achieve this goal is to establish and develop new skilled training institutes at Gujranwala, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Wazirabad and Gujrat etc.
Sialkot is known for surgical instruments, all sorts of sports goods, leather and its products, gloves and accessories, musical instruments and hosiery, etc. The city had remained famous for small cottage industries. About a century ago, it has name for paper manufacturing.
During the Mughal period, the papers of Sialkot mills were known for its excellence throughout the northern India and were commonly used. In Sikhs era, the business declined rapidly and the yearly proceeds reduced to 2,500 pound sterling from 80,000 pound sterling. The decline was due to the shifting of manufacturing of papers in jails. With the passage of time, the industries of Sialkot have undergone a great change and the sports goods, surgical instruments, gloves, musical instruments, household utensils, hosiery and martial arts, pottery and rubber goods have replaced them.
It has opened new vistas of progress and prosperity. The city is globally known for export of quality goods worth over 600 million dollars annually. It places Sialkot second only after Karachi in exports from Pakistan. The per capita income of Sialkot is 1,000 dollars - highest in Pakistan, as compared to 450 dollars in other parts of the country.
Current1y, more than 5,000 firms are registered with Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI). Sport goods industry has received a world-wide recognition due to good designing, manufacturing and selection of material. Quality and durability remain the cornerstone of the manufacturers' consideration.
The US, the top sport goods buyer country with 18.40 percent share of exports, Germany is next in line with 10.40 percent share, UK with 41 percent share and Dubai, Turkey, Saudi Arabia are the only Muslim countries, which are getting Pakistani sports goods. Their shares are 6.06 percent, 1.12 percent and 2.54 percent respectively.
The history of surgical industry goes back to World War II, when its products were supplied to the British and allied forces. Most of the manufacturers have obtained specifications, drawing and blueprints from England. Service of British experts are also available to them. It is classified as light engineering industry. Forging, filing, machines, tempering, grinding, fitting, polishing and cleaning processes are involved in its manufacturing. Most of the work is still being done manually. It is laboured intensive and plays a significant role in the economic and social betterment of the area. Over 30,000 people are engaged in this industry and most of them come from rural area.
The industry is still at cottage scale, although it is producing over 10 million pieces of instruments annually. The US is on top of list of buyer countries with 34.51 percent share, Germany comes second with 13.11 percent share and UK is third with 10.83 percent share. Dubai, Sharjah and Egypt are also buying these products from Pakistan.
Pakistan's leather industry has attained a remarkable level of development and recognition in recent years. This sector has developed enormously in Sialkot during the last two decades. Initially, there were five to six tanning units using most conventional skill and technique. It ranks amongst the few leading earners of foreign exchange. More them 30 tanning units produce numerous varieties and grade of goatskins. Pakistan has emerged as a leading exporter of processed and semi-processed leather by virtue of which have gained strong foothold in the international market. South Korea, Hong Kong, Italy, Turkey, Indonesia, Dubai and Bangladesh are the key buyers of these products.
Musical instruments, cutlery and stainless utensils industries are also contributing to export earning significantly. Sialkot also produces numerous types of colourful tents of different sizes and styles. Prominent amongst these are single pole tent Bechoba and Marquee (Abu Dhabi type). Sialkot has recently entered in the field of cotton knitwear. Over the last few years due to improvement in techniques and equipment, wide range of new varieties and patterns have become available for export.
Finding new markets would be necessary in the coming years if the country has to avail opportunities offered by the World Trade Organisation (WTO). We have to diversify our exports to Central Asia, Africa and the Middle East to dilating the risk of market dependence on the US, Europe and Japan.
Sport goods, surgical instruments and leather products are the main industries in the area. But there is not a single institution in the formal sector. There is a strong need to establish at least two new institutions at Sialkot to impart knowledge about export market for the products of this area.
REFERENCE The surveyor/writer/author is "MR. IMDAD AHMED MIAN".
(Manager, Engineering Development Board)
[email protected]