SIALKOT - The grand project of Sialkot International Airport Limited (SIAL), set up by Sialkot exporters on a self-help basis, has been playing a pivotal role in opening new vistas of socio-economic and human development in Pakistan’s first-ever “Golden Export Triangle” comprising Sialkot, Gujrat and Gujranwala districts, besides boosting Sialkot exports.
SIAL CEO Maj-Gen (r) Abid Nazir stated these remarks while briefing a delegation of junior foreign diplomats that visited the airport under the supervision of senior officials of Pakistan Foreign Services Academy.
The SIAL CEO added that the Sialkot exporters had set a unique example of self-help by establishing the grand project of Sialkot International Airport Limited on a self-help basis. He said that the Sialkot exporters had been playing a pivotal role in strengthening the national economy by earning precious foreign exchange to the tune of USD 2.5 billion annually.
He revealed that the project of SIAL was moving ahead successfully towards the goal of success and excellence, besides striving to open the new vistas of socio-economic and human development here.
On the occasion, the visiting foreign junior diplomats highly hailed the Sialkot exporters for establishing the mega project of Sialkot international airport on a self-help basis.
Later, during a meeting with Sialkot exporters at Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), the junior diplomats extended their full support and cooperation to Sialkot exporters for the promotion of bilateral trade and ensuring easy access of Sialkot-made products to their countries.
SCCI President Kh Masud Akhtar presided over the meeting. Senior officials of Pakistan Foreign Services Academy Islamabad, SCCI Senior Vice President Waqas Akram Awan, Chairman Air Sial Airline Fazal Jillani and others also attended the meeting.
The junior foreign diplomats assured the Sialkot exporters of making all-out sincere efforts to ensure easy access of Sialkot made export products to their countries, besides promoting positive and soft business image of Sialkot-Pakistan globally.
They also showed keen interest in SCCI’s documentary “Sialkot, the City of Progressive People” which was screened during this meeting. On the occasion, SCCI President Kh Masud Akhtar gave a detailed briefing to the visiting foreign diplomats about the socio-economic and human development of Sialkot on a self-help basis by Sialkot exporters, achievements, targets, and future goals of Sialkot’s export-oriented industries.
SCCI Senior Vice President Waqas Akram Awan hoped that these foreign diplomats would help Sialkot exporters expand trade to their countries.
He said that the promotion of bilateral linkages depends on better coordination, interaction, and understanding among business communities of the countries, adding that Pakistan had always been keen to develop strong and brotherly relations with all the countries around the globe.
Chairman Air Sial airline Fazal Jillani said that there was an urgent need to strengthen linkages between private sectors of Pakistan and the countries of junior diplomats.
Waqas Akram Awan said that the markets of these countries had enormous demand for the items produced in Sialkot like sports goods, surgical instruments, leather products, gloves of all sorts, textiles items, sports wear, martial arts uniforms and accessories, musical instruments, kitchen ware, hollow ware, knives, cutlery items, military uniform badges, etc. which were indirectly imported through other channels but not directly from Sialkot.
“We are convinced that there is a huge scope for establishing joint ventures and business cooperation between business communities of respective countries and Sialkot based companies,” he revealed.
Earlier, the foreign diplomats also visited several leading industrial units in Sialkot. Flanked by senior officials of the Pakistan Foreign Service Academy, the foreign diplomats showed keen interest in Sialkot-Pakistan made sports goods, musical instruments and surgical instruments. They also showed keen interest in import of Sialkot-made sports goods and surgical instruments directly from Sialkot instead of importing these products from other countries on high prices.
