“Now that we have an international airport in the city, people are planning to set up new industries and start exporting flowers and meat not only from Sialkot but also from nearby towns and cities,” Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) President Naeem Anwar Qureshi said in an interview to The Express Tribune.
“All these new developments have become possible just because of the quick air transport facilities now available owing to the new airport,” he said.
At a time when exports of the country have become stagnant, the Sialkot exporters are weighing options to invest in new industries that require less electricity and give more returns.
Apart from these tangible advantages, the Sialkot airport is also the best marketing tool for exporters of the city in attracting foreign buyers.
“It was a long-standing demand of the business community to have an airport, because foreigners wanted to travel to the city,” Qureshi said. “But when their demand was not met for several years, they decided to build the airport themselves.”
The business community felt the need for an airport because the nearest international airport was a couple of hours away in Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab.
When people came to know that Sialkot had built an airport, businessmen, especially foreign buyers, were attracted to this export-based city. And, this attraction was definitely helping the city to increase exports, he said.
Another problem for the Sialkot exporters was the growing security issues in Pakistan because of which foreign buyers were hesitant to come to the city. Now that the city has an international airport, the concerns of foreign buyers have fairly subsided, if not eroded completely.
The SCCI president said the chamber hosted seven ambassadors in the last three months “that endorses our claim that the city is far safer than other parts of the country.” The Japanese ambassador recently awarded a certificate to the SCCI “so that we could assure foreign buyers that Sialkot is a safe city for travelling.”
Despite all these positives, Qureshi agreed that a lot needed to be done to overcome security challenges in the country, which is the single biggest obstacle in the way of trade and commerce.
27 flights a week
The Sialkot International Airport was completed at a total cost of Rs2.88 billion and domestic and international flights started from November 30, 2007. At present, the airport caters to 27 weekly flights including three cargo flights.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Airport’s Administration Officer Tariq Baig said of the 27 weekly flights, 24 were international that went to Europe and the Middle East while only three were domestic flights.
Industrialists say the airport is helpful in bringing an end to long delays, damage to goods or packing due to multiple handling, pilferage, security concerns and other losses. Foreign business executives and other air travellers now easily come to Sialkot and save themselves long road journeys from distant airports like Islamabad and Lahore.
The airport is strategically located to boost commercial activities and exports of the internationally famous export triangle of Sialkot, Gujrat and Gujranwala which produces and exports sports goods, gloves, surgical instruments, sportswear, cutlery, ceramics and leather garments.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 27th, 2012.
COMMENTS (17)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@abdussamad: Perhaps you don't know that child labour in the stitching of soccer balls has been under close scrutiny and largely banned. The teenagers that continue to be employed are given access to schools and education. The expatriate Pakistani community in North America worked hard to prevent a ban on Pakistani soccer balls because of the issue of child labour. Companies both locally and internationally worked to set up standards on this issue over a decade ago which is why Sialkot made soccer balls are still bought by school boards in North America. I would suggest Indians like you learn a bit more about Pakistan before writing your anti Pakistan comments.
Sialkot International Airport Limited is in competition with Islamabad and Lahore airports for international passenger and cargo flights. Unfortunately Sialkot Airport does not enjoy level playing field as the Government of Pakistan does not allow foreign passenger airlines to operate to Sialkot Airport because of bilateral constraints in the existing air services agreements with other countries. This can be fixed if the Government of Pakistan modifies bilateral air services agreements with other countries to include Sialkot as a destination in Pakistan just as other international airports of Pakistan. Though Pakistani passenger airlines operate to few destinations in Middle Eastern countries that pursue unilateral open skies policy like Dubai and Kuwait etc. The Management of Sialkot International Airport would have to work out a solution to this problem. Because of these constraintst fhis Airport has been bleeding red ever since it started its operations. However, with increase in airport charges introduced this year all over Pakistan Sialkot Airport may start making profits.
SAI is symbolic of private public partnership. With Government limited to regulation,safety of Aviation. Suggest to promote the airport as a transit airport for re-fueling, stop over, and regional traffic to the CIS etc., to optimise the revenue. Unless we have enough traffic of cargo, transit, re-fueling, maintenance, repair of aircraft etc., we will not be able to sustain. Boeing for example may set up some assembly of air frame, and other for local inigenisation of civil aircraft industry, as this will need bold initiative from the president of Sialkot Chamber. A tax free area at the airport be built up for aircraft maintenance, repair for Boeing, Martin Lockheed and the likes.Citrus as Kinoo export can also be competetive from Sialkot.
great job
Sialkot is famous for its child labour. They stitch footballs by hand.
Great news.
@Nas: Khan is one of those Indian with biases mind who can not near any positive news coming from it country.Sometimes I am ashamed of being an Indian.
@khan:
Sialkot International Airport has been in operation for 5 years. Don't be so pessimistic.
A step in the right direction, more such initiatives should be taken.
very well done. This will support our country's export to the world. Brilliant!!!
@Khan I can see your despairing comments on every news. If you cant do anything yourself, dont critisize those who ar doing it. I think you need to see a psychiatrist for your imminent depression.
@khan: Are you crazy? Why be cynical all the time. Sialkot is a great business place and more importantly the people are industrious unlike other places in the country. And if you read the report, it says that the airpor has been under operation since 2007!
Great work ET in informing about the Sialkot Airport's successful operation
Nice work, this is what we want, if the government doesnot do it, instead of complaining do it your self.
@khan: we will always find people like you but not very much concerned.
@khan: Read the article Mr. Khan. The airport has been operating for almost 5 years..
The Sialkot airport is a symbol of what is possible when people work together in Pakistan. It is a measure of the resilience of the people of Sialkot and its adjacent districts where the people are so industrious. I have seen how busy the airport has become and how it has helped business flourish there.
In few days it will be same as the business train launched with fanfare... these gimmicks should stop. Where are these companies getting money from? china? saudi?