Pakistan acquaints foreign diplomats with experience of industrial development
Representative of the Embassy of Turkmenistan to Islamabad, as well as junior diplomatic staff of missions of Afghanistan, Algeria, Belarus, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Nigeria, Palestine, Southern Sudan, Sudan, Sri Lanka - Lanka, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan, visited recently the ancient industrial center of Pakistan - the city of Sialkot.
Guests visited the industrial enterprises of Sialkot and talked with local exporters. During the briefing at the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), the vice-president Abid Ahmed Khawaja informed about the achievements, goals and tasks of the business community, as well as the social economic and humanitarian development of Sialkot.
The study trip was organized by the Foreign Services Academy of Pakistan.
Sialkot, a city in the north-eastern province of Punjab, rightfully claims to be the economic miracle of Pakistan.
In XIII century, during the Mughal conquests, Sialkot was famous in Asia for its swords, daggers and building materials. At the end of the XIX century, a factory for the production of tennis rackets was opened there. Present economic prosperity of Sialkot is conditioned by the rapid growth of several export-oriented industries that provide 9-10% export revenue to the country’s budget:
• Leather industry offers wide range of finished products such as chic clothing and accessories.
• Sports equipment - 60% of the gross world production of footballs have been accounted for the enterprises of Sialkot and these footballs are played at the World FIFA Championships. Sialkot companies that successfully enjoy the links with the world's sports brands Adidas, Puma, Nexo Sports, Nike, etc., produces cricket and volleyballs, hockey sticks, fishing gear, sportswear, horse riding equipment.
• The medical industry features the surgical goods. The bulk of the surgical instruments manufactured in Sialkot, is exported to the US and Europe, where they are in long-term stable demand.
By the way, the best Scottish bagpipes in the world are made by the hands of Sialkot masters of folklore musical instruments.
The first private international airport in Pakistan operates in Sialkot. And as diplomats were informed during the visit to SCCI, in the near future the city will launch its first private airline.
In the opinion of Pakistani experts on Central Asia, it is possible to develop partnership between the business circles of Turkmenistan and Sialkot through all three above sectors, including through export-import operations and know-how exchange.
