Three mega projects at Sialkot are in doldrums

Sialkot: The setting up of three important projects Sports Industries Development Centre (SIDC), Product Development Centre for Composite and Sialkot Business and Commerce Centre costing more than rupees one billion are in doldrums.

The concept of initiating Sports Industries Development Centre was to enable sports goods sector to adopt new technology of mechanised ball, which is posing serious threats to hand-stitched inflatable soccer ball. The Federal government initiated these projects aimed at resolving the problems faced by the sports goods sector and for its modernisation.

The sports goods sector of Sialkot is the main export sector of the city with total export of about 350 million dollars per annum. The city is meeting 85 percent of total world demand of hand-stitched inflatable balls, which mean around 40 million balls annually worth 210 million dollars.

The main benefits of the project were to facilitate in sustaining Pakistan's position in the international market of hand-stitched inflatable balls in general and soccer balls in particular, provide skilled workforce to the sector, help develop imported machinery locally through reserve engineering, develop an indigenous patent for mechanised soccer ball and get it registered internationally, providing assistance in setting up mechanised ball production line in individual industrial units, developing prototype balls for industry and developing quality vulcanisation and pasting molds.

Similarly, the aim of setting up of Product Development Centre was to facilitate sports goods industry and to enable it to cope with the emerging technology of composite materials and to enter the largest segment of sports goods exports (more than 55 percent of the sports goods are composite based).

The services like product testing (physical and chemical), provide skilled workforce to the industry, enhance productivity by providing technical support services to the new and existing industrial units and facilitate in increasing exports of composite-based sports goods by the Product Development Centre.

Sialkot is the main export-oriented city of the country and internationally known as a producer of quality products in sports goods, surgical instruments, leather garments, sportswear and musical instruments.

Around 400,000 people are engaged directly or indirectly in export activities, while export earnings of the city hover around one billion dollars. Sialkot city is under the process of development and the concept of displaying products is taking grounds and increasing exposure to international markets, industry people are realising the need of new marketing and selling hubs.

Keeping in view of the importance and increasing need the project of Sialkot Business and Commerce Centre was initiated, but due to unknown reasons the development work on the project was stopped.

Sialkot Business and Commerce Centre will be an eight-story building and consist of expo halls, display centres, convention centre, management offices and Women Entrepreneurship Development Cell.

The business community of Sialkot has appealed to the government to initiate probe into the delay of these three mega projects, costing more than rupees one billion. They urged the all the concerned departments to adopt rational approach for initiating the development work on these vital projects to facilitate the sports goods industry of Sialkot. It seems that the Sports Industries Development Centre project was being lingered on intentionally by the Project Director due to his personal gains.

The business engaged with the sports good industry appealed to the government that a new and able Project Director should be appointed for the accomplishment of the Sports Industries Development because the present Project Director incapable and non-serious and was trying in showing his so-called political muscles and often found using the name of the Prime Minister.