THE business community of Sialkot has set glorious examples of how local issues can be addressed effectively on a self-help basis without waiting for initiatives from the resource starved Government. After building the first privately-owned public airport in Pakistan, businessmen of the area have now launched Air Sial, the third private airline of the country, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday.
Traders and industrialists face numerous hardships from conception to successful running of different ventures and their woes multiplied due to lack of proper infrastructure. Importance of Sialkot can be gauged by the fact that it is an economic and industrial hub and export-oriented city of the country from where 99 per cent products are exported to various parts of the world. There are currently 8,000 firms registered with the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce & Industry and SMEs of the area are earning foreign exchange worth 2.5 billion dollars annually through exports. This explains the need for an international standard airport and regular flights from the area to domestic as well as important international destinations. As the successive governments could not respond effectively to the consistent demand of the business community for construction of an airport, the local Chamber entered into an agreement with Civil Aviation Authority for the purpose on build, own and operate bases. The two ventures – airport and the airline – are not only beneficial for the local businessmen but have also generated enormous economic and employment opportunities for people. The Prime Minister has rightly pointed out that Sialkot has the potential to become ‘centre of Pakistan’s exports’ for which commitment is there on the part of the local business community but the Government too needs to provide liberal incentives for the cherished goal. We also hope that other chambers of the country would follow the good examples of Sialkot Chamber in resolving pressing local problems through mutual collaborative efforts.