Sialkot is a very important city of Pakistan. I would like to post development news of Sialkot lahore motorway, airport project etc over here...

WASHINGTON: Sialkot once again will be supplying the footballs that will be used in World Cup matches getting under way in Germany from Friday, but the Pakistani city’s prosperity is under threat from rival producers in the Far East and human rights activists in the West, according to a long report in Der Spiegel, Geramany’s prime newsweekly.

The report, monitored here, features, among others, Sehzadi Akhtar who like her neighbours, sits in the yard for seven or eight hours a day, stitching soccer balls. Their handiwork sells under the brand name ‘Derbystar’ which can cost up to 99 Euros. It takes Akhtar three hours and 750 stitches to piece together the 32 separate panels with waxed thread, to produce a ball she will deliver to a downtown manufacturer for 40 rupees. She makes three balls a day.

Der Spiegel described Sialkot as the “world’s football production capital” to which people flock from far and wide to find work. Sixty percent of the world's footballs are made here, by more than 200 producers. According to the report, “They sport names like ‘Laser,’ ‘Estrella International,’ ‘Ali Trading Company’ and ‘Fox & Associates.’ Some are one-room setups equipped with a telephone and a few files. Others are headquartered in towers of glittering glass and concrete that would slot smoothly into European cityscapes. As a rule these companies ship their output overseas. They are integrated in the global economy, links in the international value chain. The owners are subcontractors for Nike, Adidas and other corporations marketing “lifestyle” products. Their earnings have transformed the region into Pakistan's El Dorado. People here make about $1,000 a year, nearly twice the national average.”

The report states that the balls are all made by hand - in 2,000 workshops, sheds and backyards where 40,000 men and women stitch away, each subcontracting to a Pakistani company, each an entrepreneur in his or her own right. Workers are paid by the ball. Families with no fields to cultivate and no buffalo to milk need at least two full-time stitchers to put three square meals a day on the table. “These people are members of the global proletariat. Their poverty makes products affordable for the rich. And enables the brands to run exorbitantly expensive image campaigns,” the report adds.

The report features Zakauddin Khawaja, CEO of Capital Sports, who in 1996 employed some 2,000 stitchers - men, women - and children.. At the time, at least a quarter of his workforce was underage. He said human rights groups were instrumentalising the Pakistani Prime Minister’s visit to the United States, their mission being to alert the football world that its top stars were kicking balls tainted with the sweat of child labour. staff report


http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\06\06\story_6-6-2006_pg5_6


Is child labor a matter of concern ??

^^^I was watching a news report on Sialkot and soccer balls and they said that there isnt any child labor anymore.

yep, i read the same news as well and laughed.

Exactly saying there is no Forced child labor. However, children do stitch some low quality promotional balls mostly at home with family. Just imagine men going to fields and women after free from houshold work stitch soccer ball and children do join them. Its extra money for families living in the villages and they can earn without going out of home, without any cost. It happens all around in Sialkot villages. Child labor is there but now very limited. Children only above the age of 14 can stitch soccerball and to me its no harm that children do stitching as long as they go to school and are not forced laborers.

Further children cannot stitch all kind of soccerballs, what they stitch is (mostly before world cup season) promotional mini soccerball which is easy and quick to stitch and is paid somewhere Rs. 15-30 per ball. High quality soccerballs, beach balls etc are sewn by skilled workers above the age of 18. It takes 3-5 years to become a skilled worker in this field.

Wednesday June 07, 2006

SIALKOT : Sialkot International Airport, costing rupees two billion, would be operational likely on Aug. 14. According to Airport sources, the country's longest runway, measuring 3.6 kilometres, had been completed, which would provide landing and take off facilities to Boeing 747 and other aircraft in bad weather like mist.

The sources said cargo terminal, apron and external roads of the airport had also been completed and terminal for domestic passengers was nearing completion.


According to a rough estimate, over 10,000 exporters of Sialkot, besides a large number of exporters and other passengers of Gujrat, Narowal, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Wazirabad, Jehlum and Mirpur (Azad Kashmir) would be benefited with this mega project.


The regular functioning of the airport would not only accelerate the pace of trade and commerce activities, but would also help enhance the export volume to manifold while generate wide employment opportunities in the area. The Sialkot International Airport is being developed on "build, own and operate (BOO)" basis and it would be a landmark not only in the history of this export-oriented city and hub of cottage industries, but would also for the country.


This mega project had a great significance because it was being totally financed by the private sector.


The Sialkot International Airport would fully cater to the needs of golden industrial triangle of Sialkot, Gujranwala and Gujrat. Undoubtedly, the airport will bring a revolutionary change in the socio-economic development of the region.


With the merging of Dry Port, Export Processing Zone and airport at Sialkot, the importance of the area will further enhance, which will ultimately help substantial increase in the exports from the area in future.


The Sialkot Airport is being developed over 1,004 acres of land, where best facilities would be available, besides sufficient space has also been reserved for airlines offices, aircraft catering units, ground handling services, cargo warehouses, restaurant and car parking etc.


According to a rough estimate, 60 percent of aircraft movement will be for domestic, while 40 percent will be for the international carriers. The potential traffic forecast for the Sialkot International Airport is scaled down at the time of opening to 472,000 passengers a year, while estimated cargo tonnage at the time of opening is expected to be 24,000 tons. This means that by the end of year 2012, about 53,000 tones of cargo will be lifted from the SIA.


http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=146070

On their website they say that the passenger terminal will be completed in the third quarter of 2007.

I believe website is not updated. I am in sialkot at the moment and news here is definitely about completion on 14th August.

I believe website is not updated. I am in sialkot at the moment and news here is definitely about completion on 14th August.

Can you secretly take pictures?

Smeda for sports goods industry uplift



Associated Press of Pakistan

SIALKOT: Under the directives of the Federal government, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (Smeda) has evolved a strategy to modernise the sports goods industry, especially the soccer ball manufacturing sector to maintain its dominating position in global market.

Official sources told APP here on Friday that under the programme, Sports Industries Development Centre (SIDC) costing Rs.273.11 million would be established shortly in Sialkot.

The concept of setting up of this project is to enable the sports goods sector to adopt new technology of mechanised ball, which is threatening the current hand-stitched inflatable soccer ball, sources added.

Sports Industries Development Centre (SIDC) will introduce thermo-bonded ball technology in Sialkot industry.

The capacity of the centre on single shift basis would be 5,000 balls per day while it will generate employment opportunity for 432 persons.

The Sialkot-based soccer ball industry has totally been purged from the child labour and for this purpose UNICEF, ILO-IPEC, Save the Children (UK), FIFA rendered laudable services not only for purging the industry from child labour but also for the survival of the soccer ball industry under Atlanta agreement.

The Sialkot Soccer Ball project is a living example of commitment and joint efforts to achieve the goal of complete elimination of child labour from the industry.

good to see gov. paying attention to the ball indutry, especially after FIFA didnt get any balls from sialkot for 06 world cup.

yep, i read the same news as well and laughed.

Exactly saying there is no Forced child labor. However, children do stitch some low quality promotional balls mostly at home with family. Just imagine men going to fields and women after free from houshold work stitch soccer ball and children do join them. Its extra money for families living in the villages and they can earn without going out of home, without any cost. It happens all around in Sialkot villages. Child labor is there but now very limited. Children only above the age of 14 can stitch soccerball and to me its no harm that children do stitching as long as they go to school and are not forced laborers.

Further children cannot stitch all kind of soccerballs, what they stitch is (mostly before world cup season) promotional mini soccerball which is easy and quick to stitch and is paid somewhere Rs. 15-30 per ball. High quality soccerballs, beach balls etc are sewn by skilled workers above the age of 18. It takes 3-5 years to become a skilled worker in this field.

They should be in goddamn school learning to perform in a higher field of work.

good to see gov. paying attention to the ball indutry, especially after FIFA didnt get any balls from sialkot for 06 world cup.
WASHINGTON: Sialkot once again will be supplying the footballs that will be used in World Cup matches getting under way in Germany from Friday, but the Pakistani city’s prosperity is under threat from rival producers in the Far East and human rights activists in the West, according to a long report in Der Spiegel, Geramany’s prime newsweekly.

Uhmm WRONG...

that article is BS cos all the footballs made for the 2006 are manufactured using machines not hand, they are not sewn, but is instead melded together by thermal-bonding technology and pakistan doesnt have that technology, so all the footballs where made in thailand.

Mind you the Daily times of Pakistan are a reliable source.

daily times reliable. LOL



The World Cup in faraway Germany is putting a big bounce into Pakistan’s hand-stitched football manufacturing business. Although Pakistani balls are not actually going to be used in any of the matches in the month-long tournament in Germany beginning on June 9,

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C06%5C07%5Cstory_7-6-2006_pg2_17

Intresting...We still cant confirm which one is true though.

when FIFA says that the footballs to be used in the world cup are to be made by melding the pieces togeher by thermal-bonding technology and not sewn togeher, then it obviously means that you would require that technology which pakistan doesnt have, so that obviously means it wont be made in pakistan.

How do you know Pakistan does not have this technology?


I seriously do not like assumptions...

because if it had it then fifa would have used the ones in pakistan to make the balls, not thailand.

also read the article properly above what i ahev posted.


Sports Industries Development Centre (SIDC) will introduce thermo-bonded ball technology in Sialkot industry.

The concept of setting up of this project is to enable the sports goods sector to adopt new technology of mechanised ball, which is threatening the current hand-stitched inflatable soccer ball, sources added.

Nowhere in the article did it mention that this technology was not available in Pakistan. The article is just pointing out that SIDC will try to convert the Sialkot Industry to this new technology. Nowhere, in the article was it stated that this technology is new to Pakistan or Sialkot.

dnt you understand what introduce means, it basically has the same meaning.

and if they did have the technology, addidas would have obviously got them to manufacter there balls instead of going to thailand to get the balls.

So he could be saying that it is not common in Sialkot's industry yet.

So he could be saying that it is not common in Sialkot's industry yet.

So far no factory in Sialkot currently possess this new moulding technology. This is very latest and i think some big factories in Sialkot are considering to import moulding machines.

Thermal moulded soccerballs are being used to have a better balanced ball because handstitched balls vary in balance and weight because of valve wieght at mouth panel as well as they are handmade. With the introduction of moulded balls it looked that Pakistan will loose its business of handstitched balls rapidly but it didn't happen, it still has produced more than 60% of the world's soccerball. There is also great competition from China of machine stitched ball. Despite all this the soccerball industry somehow is still competing.


following is from -->> http://www.app.com.pk/

Sialkot exports foodballs over Rs 8.5 billion for FIFA world cup

SIALKOT, May 26 (APP): On the eve of the FIFA Football World Cup 2006 to be held in Germany from June 9, over 55.8 million footballs worth more than Rs 8.5 billion have been exported from Sialkot so far.

Local manufacturers and exporters engaged in the soccer ball industry are making hectic efforts to meet the demand of foreign buyers and ensure speedy and timely delivery of the consignments.

According to business sources here, over 85 percent of the total production of soccer balls in the world comes from Sialkot, while all international brands are sourcing their supply of footballs from this export-oriented city and nucleus of cottage industry in the country.

Over 40 million balls worth US $ 210 million are produced annually by some 60,000 highly skilled workforce of Sialkot, a city which enjoys a unique position in global trade with reference to sports goods.

Its main forte is hand stitched inflatable balls, which have been produced for almost a century now, and are being exported to world markets by 1000 plus entrepreneurs. An added impetus has been provided as the local industry has been purged of the stigma of child labour.

The stitching of soccer balls started in Sialkot during the 20th century with supplies sent to the British forces, but after independence the industry grew at an impressive pace, making the world recognize the formidable position of this city vis-a-vis its favourite sport.

Today, almost all international buyers rush to Sialkot to secure their supply chains, building strong and long term business relations with the local exporters.

In the 1980s, Sialkot gained 'international celebrity' status when it produced the 'Tango' ball used in FIFA World Cup in 1982, which led to further growth of the soccer ball industry.

The success story of Sialkot based industries is based on the unmatched skill and craftsmanship of local workers. Business globe trotters of the world have recognised the potential of Sialkot as a matchless export-oriented city of Pakistan.

With a century old industrial base, the city has developed an incredible export culture over the decades, and is contributing up to $ 800 million to the national exchequer annually.

The exporters meanwhile continue efforts to double the export volume despite the increasingly tough competition in world markets today, to fetch valuable foreign exchange for the country.

The development of cottage industries in Sialkot has assumed a model status for the developing world. The city is sprinkled with thousands of small and medium enterprises engaged in honouring their

global export commitments for value-added quality goods including sports items, surgical instruments, leather products, gloves, musical instruments etc.

At the moment however, the city is gripped mainly by football fever, with business activity at its peak in and around the city. A rush of cargo agents is witnessed at the Sialkot Dryport for clearance and dispatch of soccer ball consignments well before the commencement of the World Cup, while the Collectorate of Customs Sambrial has also extended the working hours of the export section and PRAL to facilitate exporters.

Sialkot loses soccer ball exports



Our Correspondent

SIALKOT: The export-oriented Sialkot has lost its huge share of soccer ball exports for the World Cup football, as the export orders of millions of footballs were diverted to China and India from Sialkot by the international buyers due to their comparatively cheaper prices of the footballs against the high prices of the Sialkot-made footballs, said Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) former President Ghazanfar Ali Shabbir, while addressing a meeting of local exporters at the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) here on Monday.

The Sialkot's soccer ball exporters have been suffering from a great financial loss of billions of rupees due to this great downfall in soccer ball exports from Sialkot, he said.

Sialkot is globally known for producing and exporting the best quality of hand-stitched footballs, he said. He said the Sialkot soccer ball exporters could not get their big share of soccer ball exports to the World Cup event, as most of the Sialkot-based soccer ball manufacturers and exporters were unable to compete with China, India, Taiwan and Thailand in the international markets on the eve of World Foot Ball Cup which began in the Germany due to the high cost of production of Sialkot-made footballs. China got all the soccer balls exports orders of Sialkot from foreign buyers, which they earlier used to place to Sialkot, he added. Earlier, the Sialkot exporters had exported footballs in millions on the eve of World Football Cup. But, this time, the Sialkot has lost its big share of football exports in the current World Cup.

The major cause behind the slump in soccer ball exports from Sialkot was the change in the trend of production from hand-stitched to mechanised foot balls in Sialkot.

The foreign buyers preferred to buy the mechanised footballs from China, which are very cheaper to make than the Sialkot-made hand-stitched footballs, he said.

Further, he said, the levy of several new direct or indirect new taxes by the government on the export sector has again enhanced the cost of production of these footballs from 12 to 15 percent. The exporters of Sialkot were unable to compete in the international markets and foreign buyers were diverting their football export orders towards China, he added.

Mr Ghazanfar said the recent federal budget by the government is an export-killer budget and has paved the way for the downfall of the Sialkot's export-oriented soccer ball industry. He said the industry is now under the "shadows of collapsing". The soccer ball exports from Sialkot were declining day by day, putting this industry into hot waters and severe financial crisis.

He expressed fear that the Sialkot's export oriented industry will soon collapse if the existing nasty critical crisis persists.

He urged the government to announce a special package of incentives for the flourishing Sialkot's soccer ball industry, which is under the shadows of collapse.

Meanwhile, the local small exporters and manufacturers of soccer ball have alleged that the Export Promotion |Bureau (EPB), International Labour Organisation (ILO), Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) and World Federation of Sporting Goods Industry(WFSGI) have done nothing for pulling out the Sialkot's export-oriented soccer ball industry , which is likely to collapse soon.

They said these organisations have also allegedly did nothing for introducing the ultra-modern techniques in Sialkot about the production of mechanized foot balls apart from educating the local manufacturers and exporters about these techniques.

Thanks for the sources...

Can you secretly take pictures?


well i travel between sialkot-lahore nearly twice a month. Its difficult to go to airport site since the road network is not good enough. I am also interested to go to airport site, may be some time in next couple of weeks. However, there is already website of sialkot airport which is quite informative. It has the pictures and other necessary information.

www.sial.com.pk

vazim,
do you know of any developments happening in sialkot which arnt here,

any new towers or shopping malls?

vazim,
do you know of any developments happening in sialkot which arnt here,

any new towers or shopping malls?


Sialkot is not a very big city, perhaps a million people including the main villages around sialkot. Unfortunately no big towers or shopping mall. people who want to entertain themself normally comes to cantonment where there are few shops/ resturants, etc. However, no big malls yet. The only private sector development which i have seen is couple of 4-6 story plaza in cantonment and Chen One opening a branch.

Sialkot Expo Centre or Sialkot Display centre is under construction and I will try to take pictures of it durig next visit. Regarding housing colonies mainly being developed near sialkot airport are all promises but nothing you can see & admire. I believe the lahore-sialkot motorway, Sialkot Airport completion and functions will bring development to sialkot. Also Sialkot Gujranwala road which is a single road will be converted into 4 lane road.

The moden buildings are all soccer, leather garments, sugical instruments etc etc factories located around sialkot mainly on Daska Road & Wazirabad road, etc etc. Just at the entrance of sialkot these factories add a very good image to sialkot.

Sialkot is not a very big city, perhaps a million people including the main villages around sialkot. Unfortunately no big towers or shopping mall. people who want to entertain themself normally comes to cantonment where there are few shops/ resturants, etc. However, no big malls yet. The only private sector development which i have seen is couple of 4-6 story plaza in cantonment and Chen One opening a branch.

Sialkot Expo Centre or Sialkot Display centre is under construction and I will try to take pictures of it durig next visit. Regarding housing colonies mainly being developed near sialkot airport are all promises but nothing you can see & admire. I believe the lahore-sialkot motorway, Sialkot Airport completion and functions will bring development to sialkot. Also Sialkot Gujranwala road which is a single road will be converted into 4 lane road.

The moden buildings are all soccer, leather garments, sugical instruments etc etc factories located around sialkot mainly on Daska Road & Wazirabad road, etc etc. Just at the entrance of sialkot these factories add a very good image to sialkot.

I have been to Sialkot couple of times...My bad memory reminds me of few modern looking factories...like of Saga sport and sublimes sport. Would it be possible to take a few pics of any such factory?

I have been to Sialkot couple of times...My bad memory reminds me of few modern looking factories...like of Saga sport and sublimes sport. Would it be possible to take a few pics of any such factory?


absolutely right as i said earlier. I am due this weekend in Sialkot and will try to take some pictures.

any news on bahria town, malik riaz in an interview said last year that he has brought land in sialkot which is bigger then the city sialkot itself.

Date: 15.06.06

Three days demonstration-cum-exhibition of Laser Marking Machines, began at Surgical Instruments Manufacturers Association (SIMA) of Pakistan, here, Wednesday under the auspices of SIMA in active collaboration with Institute of Industrial Control Systems (IICS) Islamabad, a division of Kadeer Khan Research Laboratories, Government of Pakistan.
Chairman SIMA Naeem Anwar Qureshi, the USAID's allied agency J.E.Austin Associates, Inc., country director Dr. Warren Weinstein, Assistant Coordinator Muhammad Raza Khan, Mr. Ifor Ffowcs-Williams Chief executive of Cluster Navigators Ltd. New Zealand and Director General IICS Islamabad Dr. Anwarul Haq were also present on this occasion.
Director General IICS Islamabad Dr. Anwarul Haq told the newsmen at SIMA that the main purpose of holding this demonstration-cum-exhibition was to introduce modern technologies related to the surgical industry. He said that Laser Marking Systems have become imperative for Sialkot's surgical industry. The exhibition would continue till June 16, 2006.

source www.abntv.com

Right foot forward for child labourers
By Chiade O'Shea in Sialkot

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41754000/jpg/_41754284_adnantrainers_250bbc.jpg
Adnan hand-stitched footballs for four years

Putting on bright white trainers to play football in the park, 12-year-old Adnan Nazir could be almost any child caught up in World Cup fever.

But his faintly calloused hands belie his true role in the world of soccer.

Not yet scuffed, his new shoes are a rare luxury for a Pakistani child whose only experience of the sport until recently was hand-sewing footballs.

For four years, Adnan forced tough thread through the thick laminated panels of footballs. As his dexterity and strength progressed with age, he learnt the skill of adding the final, most difficult piece without the join showing.

"I used to make the whole ball," he says with a young boy's pride.

But the work took a toll on his health.

"I used to get pains in my hands and shoulders," Adnan says, rubbing his joints.

The intense repetitive strain on young bodies commonly leads to long-term problems with the skeleton and muscles. The children's eyesight also suffers from staring at the garish leather hexagons for hours in poor lighting.

Shortly before the kick-off of France '98, pictures of children like Adnan stitching footballs carrying the logos of football's governing body, Fifa, and major sport brands sparked an international outcry.

It soon emerged that 7,000 children were working in the industry in Pakistan.

Eight years and two World Cups later, the practice has been all but eradicated.


Monitoring

The government, factories and an embarrassed international industry drafted in the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to reform manufacturing in Sialkot, the Punjabi district that provides 75% of the world's footballs.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41754000/jpg/_41754282_womenfootball_203bbc.jpg
Balls are now stitched in factories, not in the home

Outsourcing piecework to families used to allow factory heads to turn a blind eye to the age of the workers, but now employees work in stitching centres, monitored by an independent watchdog.

It soon became clear, however, that their efforts would be fruitless if they didn't tackle the underlying motivation for children's work.

"Child labour is a very strong indicator of poverty so you need to remove that root cause," says the ILO's consultant project manager Nick Grisewood.

"Otherwise, you run a very strong risk that they might pop up working in other situation, and quite likely in a worse situation."

The alternatives - tanneries and surgical instrument factories - are at least as dangerous and attract significantly less international scrutiny.

"I don't know what I earn," says 12-year-old Shazad Aamer, on a break from a surgical scissors factory with his friend Shazad Tahra. "The money goes straight to my dad for things like food."

To guard against the loss of income, the ILO set up micro-credit schemes that many families have used to buy livestock or establish small businesses.


Catch-up schools


Poverty played a part in keeping children in work, but was not the whole picture.


http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41754000/jpg/_41754286_chldlabourers_220bbc.jpg
Many child labourers end up working for other industries

When Hamad Ahmed, a 13-year-old football stitcher, stopped work, he says his family didn't miss the lost income.

"I used to make only five rupees [eight cents, five pence] a day," he explains.

Why miss out on an education for the cost of a few chapattis?

"We didn't have a school before," Hamad says.

The stitching villages surrounding Sialkot, like many in Pakistan, have a chronic education shortage. So when the ILO established special catch-up schools for the children, the lure of learning drew many away from work

Hamad enthusiastically covered five years of the curriculum in just two years and will go to a mainstream school next term.

Keen to edge away from their image as Dickensian exploiters of children, factory owners are now some of the most wholehearted supporters of the scheme.

Rizwan Dar, an executive director of Saga Sports, the world's largest manufacturer of hand-stitched footballs, says the benefit was not only humanitarian but also made business sense.

As child labour decreased, so did the number of faulty balls they had to discard. "Ultimately it paid us back," Mr Dar explained.

But there's another strong financial motivator. Fifa endorsement - and consequently the exporters' profits - now requires a blemish-free child labour record.

Monitors often go months without finding a child at work.


Making footballers

The final stage of their plan, initiated by Fifa to coincide with the start of the World Cup and World Day Against Child Labour on Monday, is a programme to get ex-stitchers playing football.


http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41754000/jpg/_41754292_paklogo_203bbc.jpg
Endorsement by Fifa is a big incentive for manufacturers

"Now I'm studying, I have time to play," beams Adnan as he ties the laces on his new Fifa-funded trainers.

"It's good to do sport because it helps you grow strong like a man," the delicately-framed Hamad comments earnestly.

The idea of making footballers out of the children who used to make footballs is a neat PR exercise for an embarrassed industry.

It also helps raise awareness of child labour in the industrial West where most consumers would rarely imagine their footballs were hand-made, let alone sewn by children.

As Nick Grisewood notes: "One of our greatest successes has been raising public consciousness of the child labour situation in places like Europe."

With the workers, exporters and importers now on board, the buying power of ethically-aware consumers may indeed be the key to a lasting solution.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/5071040.stm

I wrote to the Chairman of Punjab Planning & Development inquiring about Sialkot-Lahore motorway and got the following answer:


Reference your FAX of 7th July, 2006.

Thank you for taking interest in development projects of Punjab Government. I always appreciate such kind of activities for this would help the Government in improving its development initiatives.

So far as the Sialkot - Lahore Motorway Project is concerned, the project is at feasibility / design stage and implementation is likely to start by September 2006.

Please do not hesitate to write me in future, if you need any further information about our activities.

With regards,

(Muhammad Sabir)
PSO/Chairman, P&D Board

SIALKOT, July 19 (APP): Punjab government has approved a special grant of Rs 3.37 billion for repair and reconstruction of highways and farm-to-market roads in district Sialkot.

Official sources told APP here Wednesday that the step will ensure better travel facilities to the masses and link the remote areas to their respective tehsil headquarters.

Under the programme, Rs 1.20 billion will be spent on converting the Sialkot-Gujranwala road to dual carriageway while Rs 720 million will be utilized on the improvement and widening of Sialkot-Eminabad road. Work on these projects will commence soon, sources added.


source: www.app.com.pk

Saturday, July 22, 2006


LAHORE: Three industrial estates and the campuses of three international universities (two German and one Swedish), will be set up along the planned motorway from Lahore to Sialkot, according to a press statement issued here on Friday.

The matter was discussed in a meeting of the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway Steering Committee held under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Secretary (CS) Salman Siddique. The Chairman of Planning and Development, Secretary of Finance, Secretary of Communication and Works and representatives from various departments were also present.

The process of selecting the sites for the universities and industrial estates is in its final stages. The projects are expected to facilitate development and generate thousands of jobs. staff report

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\22\story_22-7-2006_pg13_7

I wrote to the Chairman of Punjab Planning & Development inquiring about Sialkot-Lahore motorway and got the following answer:

Wow, that's good. Looks like things have improved considerably. Good effort vazim and a big thanks to the Chairman of Punjab Planning & Development.

Associated Press of Pakistan

SIALKOT: The development work on mega project of Sialkot-Lahore Motorway will be initiated in mid August here with a cost of more than Rs 14 billion.

Official sources told APP here that small industrial estates would also be developed along the Motorway for accelerating the pace of trade and commerce activities.Sources said more than Rs 1.20 billion would be spent on converting Sialkot-Gujranwala Road into a dual carriageway, while Rs 720 million would be spent on the improvement and widening of Sialkot-Aiminabad Road. The work on these projects would start in the near future, they added.

Initial work on Sialkot Expo Centre starts: The initial construction work on Sialkot Expo Centre being set up at a cost of Rs 140 million adjacent to Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been started.

The SCCI sources told APP here Sunday that the purpose of establishing Expo Centre was to display locally manufactured products under one roof and organise exhibitions there.

The under-construction Expo Centre would be a multi-storey building consisting of four display centres, two halls, office box, auditorium, restaurant and living rooms for foreign visitors.

The industrial sector of Sialkot is contributing handsome foreign exchange of US $800 million annually that was the exceptional feat, considering the small size and population of the city.

The Sialkot City Package Programme was started by SCCI in collaboration with other trade bodies. Under the programme, the exporters are voluntarily contributing 0.25 per cent against their export invoices to change the face of the city by constructing roads and remodelling the sewerage system


post.com.pk

LAHORE, Aug 05 (APP): Punjab Chief Minister, Ch. Pervaiz Elahi has said that the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway project will play an important role in the improvement of means of communication as well as economic and industrial development.

He said that this project of international standard costing approximately Rs 20 billion, would be completed by the end of 2007.

He disclosed that 99-km long motorway would have six interchanges and nine flyovers so that better transport facilities could be available to people of the area.

He said that a separate Project Management Unit has been formed in this regard which will ensure implementation of the project through state-of-the-art management methods.

The Chief Minister was presiding over a high level meeting at Chief Minister’s house, here on Saturday, according to handout.

Among others Chief Secretary Punjab, Salman Siddique, Chairman P & D, Suleman Ghani, Senior Member Board of Revenue, Safdar Javaid Syed, Secretary C& W, Ahmed Yar, Secretary Education, Khalid Akhlaq Gillani, Special Secretary Finance, Azmat Ali Ranjha, head of Project Management Unit (PMU), of P&D Department, Khalid Khan and MD Nespak, Karamat Ullah were present.

The Chief Minister further said that three industrial zones would also be setup over an area of three thousand acres along Lahore-Sialkot Motorway which would boost economic activities besides generate employment opportunities. He said that two universities in collaboration with Germany and Sweden will also be setup which would play an important role in the promotion of education in the area.

He said that technical and vocational training institutions are also being established there which would help produce skilled labour while the process of industrial development in the area would gear up.

Ch. Pervaiz Elahi pointed out that Lahore-Sialkot Motorway project will reduce distance as well as save the time of travel. He expressed the hope that apart form Sialkot, it would prove to be a means of linkage with Wazirabad, Gujranwala and many other cities.

He further pointed out that foolproof arrangements have been made to meet all the demands of quality construction in the completion of the project.

The Chief Minister reiterated that the government was completing numerous mega projects in order to alleviate poverty and backwardness. He pointed out that the available resources were being spent on the development of historic nature.

He expressed the hope that the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway would also leave a positive impact on the export of commodities which would result in improvement of economy condition of the province.

He said that Export Processing Zones would also be setup along the motorway. He pointed out that better infrastructure was of key importance for increase in foreign and local investment and to improve quality of life of the masses. Therefore, the government was improving the infrastructure under comprehensive strategy while a network of roads was also being laid.

He said that the completion of the development projects in the province was being made under the modern principles of management.

The Chief Minister expressed satisfaction that the Project Management Unit setup in the Planning and Development department headed by Khalid Khan, was playing an important role.

www.app.com.pk

SIALKOT, Aug 31 (APP): Punjab Small Industries Corporation (PSIC) is finalizing arrangements for initiating the Cluster Development Programme for SMEs in collaboration with the Small & Medium Enterprise Development Authority (SMEDA) in Punjab.

The programme will focus on developing clusters for industries like ceramic pottery (Gujrat), domestic electrical appliance (Gujranwala/Gujrat), leather goods (Sialkot), wood work (Chiniot), ginning (Rahim Yar Khan), handloom (Multan) and textile machinery (Faisalabad).

Official sources here said Thursday that initially clusters for sectors like sports wear (Sialkot), marble and granite (Islamabad-Rawalpindi), PVC and plastic products as well as auto parts (Lahore) will be developed in these areas.

Punjab government has allocated Rs 8 billion for loan facilities to small and medium entrepreneurs and other interested persons for setting up new industrial projects and upgrading and capacity building of existing units. A sum of Rs 2 billion from the said amount has already been advanced to SMEs and other interested persons. The government aims to encourage new entrepreneurs in the industrial sector, said sources.

The government has decided to set up SME Industrial Estates to facilitate the small enterprise sector in Punjab and the proposed industrial estates will be developed in various industrial towns on modern and scientific lines.

Emphasis is being laid on the manufacture of non-traditional products aimed at earning maximum foreign exchange through increased exports. Sources revealed that a large number of non-traditional products have been identified for the business community.

app.com.pk

SIALKOT, Aug 31 (APP) - The Deputy High Commissioner and Director Trade and Investment British High Commission,Karachi, Hamish Daniel, Jonathan Webber, head of International Trade, Mrs. Rupi Nandra, Indian-Pakistan Trade unit Manager of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other members Thursday visited Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) to discuss the possibilities of further developing trade ties.

Addressing the members of SCCI, the Deputy High commissioner said that in order to explore trade possibilities several trade missions would visit Pakistan in November next. The aim of the visit of trade missions to Pakistan was to increase economic development and to assess the possibilities of investment in different trade fields, he added.

He said, there are bright opportunities of establishment of joint ventures and collaboration between the business communities of United Kingdom and Pakistan. He emphasized the need of filling the communication gap for further accelerating the pace of bilateral trade, economic development and collaboration between the two countries. It is high time for exchanging the information between the two countries to turn away the communication gap and to bring closer the business communities of both the countries, he added.

In addition to this, he said that exchange of trade delegations was also need of the hour and this process would help create better atmosphere and mutual understanding for exploring the possibilities of collaboration between UK and Pakistan adding that as many as 32 delegations from Birmingham had visited Pakistan last year for promotion of trade.

The business community of Birmingham had showed its keen interest in developing trade ties with Pakistani counterparts, he said. Hamish Daniel said that more efforts were needed to formulate a mechanism for enhancing the trade and commerce activities between UK and Pakistan.

He disclosed that United Kingdom is the fifth largest overseas investor in Pakistan with 6.9 percent market share during July 2005 to June 2006 adding that UK is fourth largest trading partner among OECD countries and only one where the balance is in favour of Pakistan.

There are 80 British Companies operating in Pakistan and recently opening of outlets by British retailers like Mothercare and Costa Coffee and Bestway Cement is also making further investment of 140 million dollars at their cement plant at Chakwal, he disclosed.

In his address of welcome, President SCCI Dr. Nouman Idris Butt said that in WTO regime the economic success of developing countries, like Pakistan depends on the cooperation of developed countries through providing technical, consultative and advisory support. This will minimize the disadvantages of developing countries in the WTO regime, he said.

Dr. Nouman urged the British companies to come forward and set up joint ventures and business collaboration with Sialkot based companies in the field of sports goods, surgical instruments leather goods and information technology etc.

app.com.pk4

By Our Correspondent

SIALKOT, Aug 30: Federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has extended the service of the Sialkot-Rawalpindi railcar to Lahore through Narowal to facilitate the traders and other people.

The step has been taken in the wake of the pressing demand of the Sialkot business community. Earlier, this train was running from Sialkot to Rawalpindi and back.

Speaking to a largely-attended meeting of the local industrialists and traders at the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday, he said the service would start from Sept 6.

He also announced a special package of incentives for the local exporters and importers, including 50 per cent freight concession on all the cargo consignments at the Karachi railway station from the Sialkot dry port.

He said the railways was also ready to launch a bonded containers cargo service from Sialkot to Karachi and other big industrial cities in active collaboration with the Sialkot business community. Around 5,190 tons of export cargo is sent to Karachi every month by road which consumes a lot of time.

He also announced that a lower AC coach would be affixed to the Karachi-bound Allama Iqbal Express besides adding more bogies to the Bahawalpur-bound Samasatta Express. Efforts were being made to launch a direct train from Sialkot to Faisalabad.

Sheikh Rashid said the PR would soon privatise its sleeper bogies’ manufacturing factories for earning maximum revenue. He expressed grave concern of the condition of the rusty Sialkot-Narowal-Lahore railway track and said the PR would start repairing work on this track after completing repairs of the Hafizabad-Wazirabad-Sangla Hill railway track.

The railways minister said the Asian Development Bank had provided a special grant of $300 million to the PR for implementing various mega projects, including the construction of the double railway track between Lahore and Karachi and improved signalling system along the PR railway tracks.

District Nazim Muhammad Akmal Cheema announced that a special launch ceremony would be held at the Sialkot railway station on Sept 6 for the inauguration of the extended service of the Sialkot-Rawalpindi train.

UNMANNED CROSSINGS: The railways ministry has prepared a special summary regarding the transfer of all the 4,000 unmanned level-crossings across the country under the direct control of the district governments, Sheikh Rashid said.

He said the summary would soon be presented before parliament for its final approval.

He said the PR was unable to handle such a large number of unmanned level-crossing gates as more than 8,000 gatemen were required for proper handling of these gates

04.09.06

SIALKOT: Necessary arrangements are being made to undertake development work on mega project of Sialkot-Lahore Motorway costing more than Rs 20 billion.

Sialkot District Nazim Muhammad Akmal Cheema, talking to newsmen here Sunday, said the proposed Sialkot-Lahore Motorway would consist of four lanes while small industrial estates along the Motorway would also be developed for further accelerating pace of trade and commerce activities.

The completion of the Motorway would not only reduce the distance between Sialkot and Lahore but also open a new era of development in the area.


briefs:
Sialkot district government is spending more than Rs 1.84 billion on promotion of education in the district during the current fiscal year, he said.

Cheema said that Rs 5.20 crore had been allocated for Primary School Councils to fulfill the requirements immediately while Rs 25,000 each would be spent for repairing 178 high schools of the district.

The nazim said that Rs 2.254 million were being spent on the social welfare of special children. Special children would be provided free textbooks, uniform, wheel-chairs and hearing aid instruments besides pick-and-drop facility and stipends of Rs 200 per month, he added.

The step had been taken for making special kids as useful citizens and to enable them play their due role in socio-economic development of the country, he said.

More than Rs 1.10 crore would be spent during the current financial year on the establishment of veterinary centres and agriculture laboratory to facilitate the farmers, he added.

The nazim said that special attention had been accorded on proper utilisation of development funds and timely completion of the projects in the district.

He said that Rs 13 crore would be utilised during the current fiscal year for improvement of means of communication in Sialkot district. Under the programme all linking roads and highways would be repaired and reconstructed.

More than Rs 11.91 crore had been utilised during the last fiscal year on accomplishment of 72 schemes of roads of which 39 schemes had so far been completed in the district.

Apart from this as many as 93 new projects costing more than Rs 41.85 crore had been approved by the district government, he added.

He said that during the fiscal year Rs 40 million would be spent on the completion of 50 watercourses in canal areas and 17 in Barani areas of the district.

source: app

Thank God , some sensible person reduced it to 4 lanes.

I think they should acquire the full land , but actually build 4 lanes leaving room for further expansion as and when the need arises.(may be 15-20 years down the line).

There were lots of plans of setting industrial estates on the M2 motorway too. Is it the lack of infrastructure or the unwillingness of enterpreneurs to set up industrial estates there?

Govt urged to set up 'Allama Iqbal Cyber City' (10/19/2006)


Keeping in view the "Success story" of Sialkot, the government should announce the setting up of "Allama Iqbal cyber city" in Sialkot, the birthplace of great philosopher and poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal, in the acknowledgement of the services and contributions of this export-oriented city.
World trotters have introduced Sialkot as total export-oriented city of Pakistan. Since this place possesses century old industrial heritage, it has developed a remarkable export culture over the period and contributing US 900 million dollars to the national exchequer annually.
Still the exporters' community was trying its utmost for doubling the export volume despite of tough competition in the world market for fetching valuable foreign exchange for the country.
Undoubtedly, the small and medium enterprise (SMEs) were playing a significant role not only in strengthening the national exchequer but also providing employment to thousands of workers in Sialkot, which is the only export-oriented city in Pakistan, where 99 percent items produced are exported to all parts of the world.
The development of cottage industries in Sialkot has assumed a model status for the developing world. The city is sprinkled with thousands of SMEs, which are engaged in honouring their global commitments for export of valve-added quality goods such as sports goods, surgical instruments, leather goods, gloves, badges and musical instruments etc.
The city has developed industrial edge over other cities of the country especially in sports goods and surgical instruments. Over 0.12 million workers only are engaged with both the industries and are earning their livelihood in a respectable way.
Many foreign researchers were conducting research on unique export culture of the city. The business community of Sialkot is playing a tremendous role not only in bringing boom in exports but also fulfilling the social responsibilities and the uplift of the city on voluntarily basis.
Over 85 percent of total production of soccer ball of the world comes from Sialkot while all international brands are sourcing their supply of footballs from this export-oriented city. The success story of Sialkot based industries can be attributed to unmatched skill of local workers and their craftsmanship.
The soccer ball industry had totally been purged from the menace of child labour and Sialkot has set a role model for others to follow the same for the elimination of child labour.
The business community had managed to develop the culture of "Do it yourself " in Sialkot, under which the business community was playing a pivotal role for the development of the city and welfare of the people.
For the construction of city roads and drains, Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) initiated Sialkot City Package in collaboration of other trade bodies in the city. Under the programme, exporters are voluntarily contributing 0.25 percent against their export invoices, as a result many city roads and drains have been constructed while the construction work on Paris road is in full swing.
The mega project of Sialkot International Airport is being constructed by the local business community on the basis of Build, Operate and Own (BOO) basis costing over Rs 2 billion and work on this project is also in full swing.
It is expected that airport would be operational in first quarter of 2007. Sialkot International Airport is a unique project in private sector and first of its kind not only in the country but also South-East Asia.
The second biggest Export Processing Zone (EPZ) had been developed in Sialkot and the SCCI was making strenuous efforts for motivating foreign investors to invest in Sialkot EPZ. Sialkot had 40 percent share of the total ISO-9000 certified companies in the country, which reflects how the local manufacturers were quality conscious.


Rs 20m plan for Sialkot sports goods industry (10/18/2006)

Punjab Small Industries Corporation (PSIC) is finalising necessary arrangements in collaboration with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda) for setting up a Product Development Centre (PDC) at a cost of Rs 20 million for assisting Sports Industry of Sialkot.
Official sources told reporters here on Tuesday that the proposed development centre would consist of dyes and moulds workshop, testing laboratory and training development. The centre will be manned by highly skilled human resource team which would be providing training, technical advice, common services, testing, entrepreneurship services to the entrepreneurs willing to set up composite material based industry.
The PDC would not only help sports goods sector but also usher in a new era in sectors like light engineering (auto parts, surgical instruments, home appliances, pipes and conduits, LPG, CNG cylinders etc), furniture, defence related products and construction.
Lower costs and better mechanical and chemical properties coupled with falling prices of raw materials place composite materials as a viable alternative for metal based in almost all the consumer and industrial products.
The proposed Product Development Centre (PDC) would lead the industry by acting as a vital knowledge centre catering to a wide spectrum of needs ranging material selection to final product testing. The century-old sports goods industry of Sialkot has progressed from cottage to medium scale industry by low levels of mechanisation but the focus has been on impeccable craftsmanship.
The basic raw material required for the production of sports goods like leather and wood are available in abundance in Pakistan while the new materials like PVC and PU sheets are imported.
The secured raw material sources amalgamated with historical advantage of having required special skills in low wage situation give Pakistan a unique competitive edge in the global market. Pakistan had lost its share in wood based products as in international market composite material based sports goods offer a lot of opportunities.
Keeping in view of the problem, Smeda had formulated a proposal in collaboration with Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Sports Goods Association and Punjab Small Industries Corporation (PSIC) for bringing out the industry from various clutches and to encourage sports goods industry for shifting towards composite material.
The local entrepreneurs in sports industry are lack of knowledge about new materials and process, high capital cost in setting up units, lack of skilled labour, poor knowledge in production of dyes and moulds and absence of testing facilities.


Rs.450m released for setting up special schools (10/16/2006)

The Punjab government has released a grant of Rs. 450 million for establishing as many as 27 special schools in all the six districts of Gujranwala Division for providing the better and advanced technical and formal education to the region's special children.
The provincial Minister for Power Ch. Armughan Subhani disclosed this while talking to the newsmen at Variyo House in Sialkot Cantt, here on Sunday. He said the schools costing Rs. 12 million each, would be helpful in making the special children as useful citizens of the society through giving them their basic right of special education on top priority basis.
He maintained that out of total 27, as many as four special schools would soon be established (one each) in all the four tehsils of district Sialkot and one each in two tehsils of Narowal district, adding that construction work on this project would be started in 2007.

Businessmen pledge more aid for uplift

05.11.06
Our Correspondent

SIALKOT: The Sialkot business community has announced to continue financial assistance for timely completion of various ongoing development projects in the city.

It was decided at a meeting of businessmen Saturday held to review the pace of Sialkot city's economic development. Exporters have been donating 0.10 per cent annually of their total exports for the development of the city on self-help basis since 1997 under the Sialkot City Development Package.

President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sh Abdul Waheed Sandal and Senior Vice-President Dr Sarfraz Bashir told newsmen at SCCI Saturday that the business community had so far spent Rs 190 million on self-help basis on the construction of city roads. Now, they were planning to construct link roads in and around the city, they added.

They urged Chief Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi to ensure early release of Rs 230 million to the business community for the uplift of Sialkot.

They also urged Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to provide Rs 93 million to SCCI from Export Development Fund (EDF) for early construction of an international standard display centre in Sialkot.

Joining the hands of SCCI, the management of Sialkot Dry Port Trust has also announced to contribute Rs 40 million annually to the city development under the Sialkot City Development Package.

Chairman Sialkot Dry Port Trust Mehbub A. Sheikh told newsmen that Dry Port's forwarding and customs clearing agents would voluntarily donate 0.1 per cent of their total invoices to Sialkot City Development Package.


dawn.com

Trust set up to cope with challenge: Mechanised soccer balls

05.11.06
By Our Correspondent

SIALKOT, Nov 4: The Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and Pakistan Sports Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PSGMEA) have jointly established a “Sports Industry Development Trust” in Sialkot to deal with the threat of mechanised balls faced by local hand-stitched soccer ball manufacturers and exporters.

SCCI president Sheikh Abdul Waheed Sandal and senior vice-president Dr Sarfraz Bashir told reporters here on Saturday that the local export-oriented soccer ball industry had been supporting over 100,000 stitchers and other industrial workers.

They said that this industry was now facing the global challenge of mechanised soccer balls production under the WTO regime.

During the last five years, they said that China, Vietnam and Thailand had come up with the improved version of mechanized soccer balls which were used in Euro Cup 2004 and World Cup 2006.

They said the SCCI, PSGMEA and manufacturers and exporters of hand-stitched soccer balls had joined hands on the project to safeguard the Sialkot’s soccer ball industry.

So far several companies had pledged to join the trust with a contribution of Rs100,000 each, they said.

This trust would have a strong research and development (R&D) section for developing and introducing other non-traditional sports goods and accessories which could be produced in the country and marketed around the world, they said.

dawn.com

Underpass at Allama Iqbal Chowk Sialkot

LAHORE, Nov 6 (APP): Tehsil Nazim Sialkot, Imtiaz ud Din Dar called on Punjab Chief Minister Ch. Pervaiz Elahi at Chief Minister’s Secretariat, here Monday and discussed development projects for Sialkot as well as organizational affairs of Pakistan Muslim League.

Nazim Union Council Muhammad Pura, Umar Dar was also present on the occasion.

Tehsil Nazim Imtiaz ud Din Dar thanked the Chief Minister for approving the project of construction of underpass at Chowk Allama Iqbal Phatak Kutchehry Road and his Notification of appointment as Vice President of Pakistan Muslim League, Punjab.

app.com.pk

Businessmen’s grant for engineering varsity

By Our Correspondent

SIALKOT, Nov 6: Businessmen and exporters have provided a special grant of 130,000 Euros from the Sialkot City Development Package (SCDP) fund for early establishment of an engineering university.

During a meeting of the SCDP management held here on Monday, the business community reviewed the pace of various ongoing uplift projects in the city.

District Nazim Muhammad Akmal Cheema presided over the meeting.

Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) president Sheikh Abdul Waheed Sandal, SVP Dr Sarfraz Bashir, Pakistan Sports Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PSGMEA) chairman Sheikh Safdar Sandal, Sialkot Dry Port Trust chairman Mehboob A Sheikh, Pakistan Gloves Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PGMEA) chief Muhammad Younas and central chairman of Pakistan Leather Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PLGMEA) Ahmad Zulfiqar Hayyat were also present.

The meeting was told that construction work on 500-acre engineering university situated at main Sialkot-Sambrial-Wazirabad Road would be started shortly in collaboration with the Swedish government under the supervision of SCCI.

The meeting was told that Sweden would also provide complete technical assistance for this purpose.

dawn.com

Rs.90 mln released for setting up industrial zone for tanneries (http://www.app.com.pk/business.htm)

SIALKOT, Nov 19 (APP) - Punjab government has released funds of Rs.90 million for setting up an Industrial Zone for tanneries in Sialkot.

The proposed tanneries zone would be developed over 300 acres of land and it would be equipped with common treatment plant for controlling effluent and solid waste of tanneries.

Official sources told APP here Sunday that the main objective of establishing industrial zone for tanneries was to shift all existing tanneries into zone for reducing pollution.

In Sialkot, as many as 248 tanneries of different sizes are functioning in and close to the city of which nine large, 79 medium and 160 small.

The regular functioning of industrial zone for tanneries would not only help in reducing pollution load in tanneries cluster area but also improve the degraded environmental condition caused by the tanneries, sources added.

I think somewhere mid 2007.

Progress so far.
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Sialkot Lahore Motorway Project Launched

SARMAD MAHMUD
SIALKOT (April 12 2007): President General Pervez Musharraf has said that drastic steps were being taken to overcome water, gas and energy shortage for fulfilling the future needs of the country. Addressing a public meeting at Sialkot Garrison Park here on Wednesday.

He said that to cater the domestic and industrial needs of the country adequate arrangements were being made for the construction of dams including Kalabagh Dam besides special step had already been taken for rising of Mangla Dam. President Pervez Musharraf said that demand of electricity and gas was increasing day by day because of large-scale establishment of industries in the country. President Musharraf also stated that efforts were being made for the construction of watercourses in every nook and corner of the country.

The President revealed that the country had produced wheat 23 million tonnes that is record in the history of the country. A strategy was being evolved for improving the dairy development aimed at increasing milk production. At present Pakistan is holding fifth position among the milk producing countries of the world he said.

General Pervez Musharraf said that this programme of the government would not only help in enhancing the milk production but also reduce poverty and open new vista of development and prosperity in rural areas of the country.

He pointed out that large-scale industries were being set up in Sialkot, Lahore and Faisalabad as well as in other parts of the country as a result of which the unemployment graph has scaled down and exports were increasing rapidly.

President Musharraf disclosed that 800,000 motorbikes were being sold in the country due to the increase of manufacturing capacity whereas 80,000 motorcycles were being produced in the past.

The President assured the public that a strategy was being evolved for providing ownership rights to dwellers of Katchi Abadis in the Punjab. The President lauded the role of the business community of Sialkot. He said that the business community of Sialkot had played a pivotal role in changing the face of Sialkot and construction of mega project of Sialkot International Airport on self-help basis and had set a unique precedent and role model for other cities of the country. Sialkot was playing an instrumental role in strengthening the national economy and contributing Rs 1 billion to the national exchequer through its exports he said.

The President said that Sialkot, which is hub of cottage industry and export-oriented city of the country had a special significance for producing quality sports goods, surgical instruments and leather products and its contribution in export sector was highly laudable.

President Pervez Musharraf said that Sialkot-Lahore motorway would be completed in two-and-a-half year at a cost of Rs 23 billion. He said that Pakistan is fully capable to protect its geographical and ideological frontiers. He said that collective efforts were needed at this juncture for further strengthening democracy at the gross roots in the country.

The President said that extremism will eat like a white ant and called upon the parents to watch the activities of their children. He said that the government is making best efforts to resolve the issue of Lal Masjid/ Jamia Hafsa through dialogues and peacefully because the it does not want to harm mosque and women and seeks co-operation of Ulema and religious scholars for a peaceful settlement of the issue.

The President on this occasion announced a special grant of Rs 2 million for each union council of Sialkot. He also announced establishment of a medical college in Sialkot, Rs 100 million for the improvement of sewerage and development work of Sialkot and establishment of campus of Women University in Sialkot and setting up of a gymnasium in the area.

Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool speaking on the occasion stressed upon the people that they should extend their co-operation and support to the government for the elimination terrorism and resolving the Kashmir dispute. The Governor said in order to ensure continuity in development process; construction of Kalabagh dam and weeding out the terrorism on western fronts the people should strengthen the hands of President Pervez Musharraf.

Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Ellahi said more than Rs 11 billion had been spent during post four years in Sialkot on various development projects pertaining public welfare. The Chief Minister said that Sialkot-Lahore motorway would be completed at a cost of Rs 23 billion and it will generate employment opportunities for 60,000 people. Earlier, President Pervez Musharraf performed the ground breaking ceremony of Sialkot-Lahore motorway.

Vazim I thought Motorway would be completed by the end of 2007.

:lol: yes only on papers. Actual position is that designing and land acquiring is in process. I hope that construction work will start next couple of months. Its a mega project with university & industrial estate, and since the project is with NESPAK so at least i'm pretty sure it will go ahead and may complete in time i.e. end 2010.

:lol: yes only on papers. Actual position is that designing and land acquiring is in process. I hope that construction work will start next couple of months. Its a mega project with university & industrial estate, and since the project is with NESPAK so at least i'm pretty sure it will go ahead and may complete in time i.e. end 2010.

vazim, can you clarify what you meant by university and industrial estate? Also, it would be cool if you can provide us more info on that medical college project shurfu announced.

does anybody body have any updates on the sialkot international airport

i think the university which is to be located near sialkot is the one being made in association with KTH sweden. It will have some foreign faculty and some recent graduates and PhD degree holders from KTH.

There are always plans to make industrial areas along motorways...even there are some areas reserved along the M2. Sadly, they haven't been developed to their potential.

Sialkot International Airport

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SIALKOT (Nov 12 2007): Sialkot district government is preparing a long-term plan for the construction of a ring road aimed at streamlining the traffic in Sialkot. Official sources said that the proposed plan would cover the fifty years needs of Sialkot.

Apart from this special attention had been accorded on the repair and reconstruction 122 roads in Sialkot, Daska, Pasrur and Sambrial tehsils of the district and this development programme would being accomplished at a cost of Rs 1.22 billion. More than Rs 35 crore were being spent on the widening of Sialkot-Head Marala road for channelling the traffic, sources added.

Besides, district government was also making extra-ordinary efforts for tracking the agriculture sector on scientific lines and to introduce new agricultural technologies for increasing per acre yield of crops in Sialkot district.

Under the programme special attention had also been focused on effective agricultural research, improvement of irrigation system, and ensuring the sufficient availability of quality seeds as well as on setting up green houses at Sialkot, Daska, Pasrur and Sambrial tehsils of the district, sources added.

http://piac.com.pk/PIA_GSD/images/SialkotBanner.jpg

cool

http://piac.com.pk/PIA_GSD/images/SialkotBanner.jpg

Nice!

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/6210/pizzagf6.jpg

Gud..!

Now i can eat pizza in Sialkot too:)

Now i can eat pizza in Sialkot too:)

Thank you for your amazing and scholastic insight! :)

i luv pizza hut....but would u believe the one in my small town usa closed down :(

welcome saniaji....1 of the rare females on this site:)

welcome saniaji
u been taking a lot of interest in Project and Updates thread. All the threads are refreshed in just one day. Wow

Its not sania-ji...its sana-ji.

Sialkot di Balle Balle

SIALKOT: The provincial and district governments have approved a comprehensive programme for the development of main roads infrastructure. This is in addition to the construction of various new link and main roads in Sialkot district for providing advanced commuting facilities equally to the people of urban and rural areas.

According to official sources, the Punjab government has allocated a grant of Rs 172.800 million for the mega project of construction and conversion of link road from Sambrial Bypass to Sialkot International Airport Terminal and released Rs 186.699 million for a timely completion of a bridge over River Tavi near Saidpur-Bajwat Pattan.

The main Sialkot-Sambrial-Wazirabad Road would soon be converted into a dual carriage way at a total cost of Rs 826.740 million while, Sialkot-Wazirabad Road would be widened and improved at a cost of Rs 107.871 million. Officials added that working and improvement of Sialkot-Pasrur Road would be completed costing Rs 125.162 million, plus the Sialkot-Kingra Road and Randheer More-Muddokey widened at an estimated Rs 109.969 million and Rs 19.675 million respectively. A road would also be constructed along the bank of Marala Ravi Link Canal at Rs 55.802 million, and another in the bordering rural areas of Sialkot district from village Kingra to Zafarwal, besides, a bridge over the seasonal Naullah Dek at Rs 112.71 million.

14 negligent cops suspended: Sialkot District Police Officer (DPO) Friday suspended 14 police head constables of Sialkot Police deputed at different police stations for their negligence in duties and having criminal links. The DPO has also ordered a strict departmental probe against the suspended police constables.

Stone attack at a bogey injures many: Several passengers including a Chawinda-based news agent Maqsood Ahmad Butt were injured Friday when unidentified men pelted their bogey with stones near Talwara Mughlaan-Sialkot, here. Passengers have urged the rail police officials act in the matter.

Efforts to modernize export-oriented sports industry: The Planning Commission of Pakistan Friday discussed in detail matters of mutual interest during a meeting with representatives of sports and surgical industries held here. They also mapped out measures to help the private sector achieve a maximum growth potential.

Officials said the present government continues to make all out sincere efforts to upgrade and modernize Sialkot's export-oriented sports and surgical industry on a priority basis. They said the government is fully aware of the prolonged perturbing problems of the industries and mapping out effective measures to ease the people concerned.

Later, officials visited several leading sports goods and surgical instruments manufacturing leading industrial units in Sialkot, here. They hailed the unique export culture of Sialkot and witnessed the international standard craftsmanship of Sialkot-based artisans.

Road accident claims one, injures two: Nasir Ahmad, aged 35 died her Friday while his two companions Ali Rehman and Idrees Ahmad received critical injuries as their car turned turtle near village Khoi Stop-Badiana, Pasrur tehsil, on main Sialkot-Pasrur Road, here. The men were on their way to Pasrur from Rawalpindi. The injured have been shifted to Pasrur THQ Civil Hospital where their condition is stated critical.

35 POs, 28 absconders arrested: Sialkot City Circle Police Friday smashed four inter-district gangs of robbers, and arrested 35 notorious proclaimed offenders (POs) and 28 court absconders during a special campaign against outlaws in Sialkot city on the special directives of Sialkot DPO Capt (R) Muhammad Ameen. DSP City Sialkot Waseem Akhtar told reporters that police also recovered stolen property and valuables worth Rs 1 million. He said the accused had been wanted by the police in several dacoity, murder and kidnapping incidents in Sialkot, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Narowal and Lahore.

He said police also arrested as many as 43 notorious drug traffickers and seized three kg cannabis, one kg opium, 500 grams heroin and 50 liquor bottles besides unearthing three working distilleries and arrested six alcoholics.

Police also arrested 59 accused on charge of possession of illegal arms and seized a cache of ammunition.

DSP City Sialkot Waseem Akhtar said the Peace Committee, established at the union council level, are playing a vital role in maintaining peace in the district. He warned all police officials found guilty of patronizing and housing criminals of a strict legal action and urged them to ensure early arrest of the wanted POs, drug traffickers and other criminals in their respective areas, besides sealing all gambling dens and brothels.

That post of Sana just reminded me of her....

Im gonna have nightmares again.

























*Gets another threatening PM from her* :laugh:

SIALKOT: The Punjab government has approved a special grant of Rs 23 million for the early completion of an international standard hockey stadium at Sialkot, aimed at promoting hockey in Sialkot, globally known as producing the world's best quality hockey sticks and internationally-famed hockey players.

Olympian Asif Bajwa Secretary Pakistan Hockey Federation while talking to reporters Saturday said the DCO Capt (R) Atta Muhammad Khan has also released a grant of Rs 25 million to ensure timely completion of the project before the end of 2008.

Sialkot jail houses 2736 inmates against 722: President Prisoners' Relief Committee Pakistan Adeeb Javdani Saturday visited the Sialkot District Jail and pledged to make all out sincere efforts to redress the grievances of the inmates there.

On the occasion, superintendent Sialkot district jail told the visiting Adeeb Javdani that the jail houses 2,736 male and female prisoners against a capacity of only 722 prisoners. He said as many as 1,200 prisoners belonging to Narowal district have also been imprisoned at the Sialkot District Jail, causing a huge overcrowding of the place.

Locals demand measures against drug-trafficking: Lack of any preventive measures mapped out by the federal, provincial and district governments has made drug-trafficking a roaring business in the country, with addicts lining every other place, as per officials of the health department who confirmed that the use of drugs continues to record a rise.

Local social, religious and political circles have expressed concern over the increase in the sale of drugs, which they added should 'be tackled to save the youth of the country.'

very intersting and good work i thought we will share details of property relaetd projects in this but have not seen a single resposne, i also do not get good repo about schems near sialkot airport. do proper research before investing

SIALKOT, July 28: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has announced restoring the project to establish a medical college here and forming a special committee consisting of elected representatives and renowned businessmen to monitor the project.

He was addressing local businessmen and notables at the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) on Monday during the first leg of his two-day visit to the district after becoming the chief minister.

SCCI President Dr Khurram Anwar Khawaja, secretaries of 18 provincial departments and prominent businessmen and representatives of local trade bodies were also present.

The chief minister announced a number of development schemes for the area, particularly for the uplift of the city. On the pressing demand of the local business community, the chief minister announced restoring the otherwise shelved Sialkot Medical College project.

He also announced ensuring early release of a special matching grant of Rs408.6 million under the Sialkot City Development Package, which was to be carried out in collaboration with local business community, but was frozen or abandoned subsequently.

During his first stint as chief minister nine years ago, Sharif had announced this grant during his visit to the SCCI on June 1, 1999.

He also announced immediate establishment of intensive care units (ICUs) and orthopaedic units each at Allama Iqbal Memorial DHQ Hospital and Sardar Begum Memorial Hospital.

He also announced construction of two bridges over Nullah Aik in the city, one near Nekapura and the other near Douburji Malhiyaan, besides constructing another flyover or underpass to streamline traffic throughout the city. He also announced laying new sewerage pipelines in the city.

The chief minister said the provincial government would soon sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the business community of Sialkot under which special monitoring committees would be formed to look after all the (above-mentioned) development projects.

The chief minister also ordered immediate dualisation of Sialkot-Gujranwala and Sialkot-Eimenabad roads besides early completion of under-construction Sialkot-Wazirabad Road.

The chief minister assured the business community that effective and positive economic and trade policies would continue to strengthen national economy and to promote sustainable trade activities.

He said the local business community had set a golden example of completing several mega projects on self-help basis, persuading others to follow it.

He also hailed the local export culture and marvellous socio-economic and human resources development, again chiefly on self-help basis.

He said the government was making all out efforts to bring a revolution of industrial development by revamping the SMEs sector.

Sharif said the government was fully aware of the problems being faced by the businessmen and was trying to remove all bottlenecks hindering trade activities.

Earlier, DCO Capt Atta Muhammad Khan (retired) gave a detailed briefing about ongoing development schemes in the district.

The chief minister directed the officials concerned to expedite these projects besides ensuring consumption of quality materials and their timely completion.

Later, addressing an open court in Pasrur, Sharif pledged to weed out corruption from all government departments to ensure cheap and speedy justice to the people.

He said the government was trying to control ‘skyrocketing’ price-hike caused by the wrong policies of the previous regime.

Sharif said all promises made to the people, including the restoration of superior courts judges, supremacy of the Constitution, stability of democracy and solution of national issues, would be honoured and working relationship with allied parties would be maintained at the federal as well as provincial levels without compromising on principles.

Later, addressing a meeting of party workers at Anwar Club Auditorium here, Sharif, who is also the president of the PML-N, said his party would take solid steps to resolve political, economic and administrative problems being faced by the country and would not disappoint the masses.

Earlier, talking to reporters, the chief minister said the party's stand on the restoration of judges reflected the aspirations of 160 million people of the country and the PML-N would stick to its stance.

He said that all possible cooperation would be extended to allied parties to solve national issues and viable proposals would be given to ensure civilian’s rule instead of any dictator’s.

He said that party leaders, office-bearers and elected representatives should maintain a close liaison with the people to resolve their problems.

Expressing concern over a lack of coordination among the government and its coalition partners, the PML-N president urged the government to take on board all component parties of the alliance prior to taking key decisions on national issues otherwise it could grow weaker and weaker.

Sharif said that inordinate delay in announcing the impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf and reinstatement of the deposed judges was enhancing the gravity of political crisis.

The chief minister will visit Daska on Tuesday (today). He will inspect Daska’s THQ Hospital besides holding an open court at Civil Rest House.

SIALKOT, Aug 8: Surveillance cameras are being installed at Allama Iqbal Chowk to trace criminals.

District Police Officer Muhammad Ameen told newsmen on Friday that a well-equipped control room had also been set up at the Police Lines to monitor the working of these cameras. He said Rs20 million would be spent on the installation of surveillance cameras in residential, industrial and commercial areas.

He said these cameras could record during rain, windstorm, darkness and even during loadshedding. He said pictures of wanted criminals would be fed in these cameras and they would raise alarm when any of these offenders would pass-by these.

I dont understand why you people are so rude to Sana Ji... You guys behave like your still in Highschool...

I dont understand why you people are so rude to Sana Ji... You guys behave like your still in Highschool...

Well she wasn't so nice to us either!

She sent me a PM that would make your spine crack with fright! Oh man it was horrible.

I had nightmares for days after that.


Mommy!

Well she wasn't so nice to us either!

She sent me a PM that would make your spine crack with fright! Oh man it was horrible.

I had nightmares for days after that.


Mommy!

:sly:


You're kidding right?



pansy!

No im serious.


I want my teddy.

SIALKOT: Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) has urged the government to early establish an international standard garments technical training centre at Sialkot, besides, providing the level-playing field to garments exporters to enhance the garments exports with the help of skilled labour force, in this regard.

Former Central Chairman of PRGMEA Ejaz A Khokhar stated this while addressing an important meeting of Sialkot-based readymade garments manufacturers and exporters held here Monday. He said the early provision of level playing-field and skilled male and female labour force was direly needed to flourish garments industry in Sialkot, as there was potential of $1billion garments exports from Sialkot. He said that the early establishment of garments technical training centre at Sialkot would be helpful in bringing advanced manufacturing technologies to Sialkot.

Ejaz A Khokhar said that the provision of fresh skilled and trained male and female labour force to this industry in Sialkot was direly needed, as the PRGMEA was striving to bring Sialkot's garments industry as per the standard of the garment industry of Karachi and Lahore on priority basis through the modernisation and up gradation of this industry.

SIALKOT: With a view to improving the living standard of life of the rural population in Sialkot district, the provincial government has approved 53 drainage and sanitation schemes for the Sialkot district's rural areas.

Sialkot DCO Capt (Rtd) Atta Muhammad Khan disclosed this while talking to the newsmen here Wednesday. DDO (Revenue) Daska Fiaz Ahmad Mohal and Senior Member of District Peace Committee Sialkot Zafar Malik were also present. The DCO said the schemes would be completed with total cost of Rs 430.522 million, while, the provincial government has also released a special grant of Rs. 172.137 million for the timely completion of these schemes scheduled to be completed into next two years.

This important social sector assumes the policy of provision of safe and potable drinking water, sanitation and coverage of the entire community particularly Barani and brackish areas. Wastewater treatment plants will be provided for improving environmental pollution and protecting water bodies, he added.

The DCO said that besides water supply and drainage schemes, the provincial government has also approved a plan for the establishment of water testing laboratories at district level to monitor and ensure the quality of drinking water. Meanwhile, the work was in progress for the urban drainage and sewerage schemes in urban areas of Sialkot district at a total cost of Rs. 351.805 million.

These urban schemes were implementing in Daska, Pasrur, Sambrial and Chawinda. Provincial government has approved comprehensive development package for Pasrur city with estimated cost of Rs. 91.380 million, the District Coordination Officer added.

SIALKOT: PPP MNA Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has directed the high-ups of the departments concerned to ensure the early completion of construction project of a bridge over River Tavi, as the people of these villages had been suffering great difficulties in their movement from Bajwat towards Sialkot by crossing the River Tavi. She said that the pace of construction is very slow due to some unknown reasons. She directed the concerned officials to make all out efforts for this purpose.

According to the details, the construction of a 1300 feet long and 30 feet wide bridge over River Tavi still remains incomplete despite the passage of five years. The project was started five years ago with estimated cost of Rs 200 million for providing the better communication facilities to the people of Bajwat's all the 85 far off bordering villages, as these villages often become cut off from the rest of Sialkot district due to spat in River Tavi caused by the high flood during every rainy and flood season. The then federal government had announced to provide a grant of Rs. 100 as its share for this project, while, the then

Punjab government had announced to share a grant of Rs. 60 million. The government had announced the construction to be completed before the beginning of the previous rainy season, but the construction remained halted for several months due to some unknown reasons.

Resultantly, the local people suffered from great difficulties, while, the Bajwat's above mentioned 85 far off bordering again became cut off from the rest of Sialkot district during the every rainy and flood season, as the small sized belly bridge (built by the local villagers on self help basis) over River Tavi often collapses due to spat in River Tavi near Saidpur Pattan.

The local people still remain at the mercy of the surrounding three rivers during this critical condition.

Few months ago, the PPP government had named this bridge as Benazir Bhutto Bridge, as the PML-Q government had started this project.

Our Correspondent

SIALKOT: The Punjab government has approved Rs 68.04 million to renovate three police stations -- Rangpura, Civil Lines and Head Marala -- under a special development programme.

According to the official sources, these police stations would also be made the model police stations, besides ensuring the smooth provision of all the basic facilities there. The special rooms for the investigating officers, residential rooms for policemen and SHOs, vast bars and mess rooms would also be established in the police stations. The construction work would be started next month, the official sources added.

Police foil bid to sabotage Sialkot: The police Monday foiled a big attempt of sabotage in the city and arrested a suspected car driver, besides seizing a huge quantity of weapons from the vehicle.

DPO Capt (r) Muhammad Ameen disclosed this while addressing a press conference Monday.

DSP Waseem Akhtar and District Peace Committee senior member Zafar Malik were also present.

The DPO said during a special checking the police checked a suspected car near Nole More-Uggoki and arrested its driver. He was identified as Kashif Iqbal of village Billo Chak-Sambrial. Police also seized a big quantity of foreign made fire ammunition, including 31 pistols, 12 rifles, 7 rifles 246 bore, 26,000 bullets from him.

The accused told the police that the weapons were to be used in sabotage in the district. He was bringing the ammunition from NWFP, the DPO added.

Police have sent the accused behind the bars and started investigation after registering a case against him.

Meanwhile, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Gujranwala Region Zulfiqar Ahmad Cheema and Sialkot DPO Capt (r) Muhammad Ameen have announced the cash rewards and commendation certificates for the police team.

Drug pushers arrested, narcotics seized: On the special directives of Regional Police Officer (RPO) Gujranwala Zulfiqar Ahmad Cheema and DPO Capt (r) Muhammad Ameen, the police have seized a big quantity of liquor and narcotics during a special campaign launched against the drug pushers in the city.

DSP Waseem Akhtar stated this while talking to journalists Monday

Our Correspondent

SIALKOT: The work to construct a hockey stadium of international standard has not yet been started even after elapse of five years of its approval in the city.

According to the official sources, the work to build a hockey stadium of world standard has not been started for the last five years and the provincial and district government have been claiming about allocating huge funds annually for the project.

Expressing grave concern over this negligence, Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) president Dr Khurram Anwar Khawaja said the people had been demanding an early establishment of a hockey stadium of international standard in the city.

He said Sialkot was known for producing the world class sports goods, especially hockey sticks, adding that the city also produced the world class hockey players, including Shahnaz Sheikh, Asif Bajwa, Manzur Junior, Zahid Sheikh, Maqsud Hussain, Mehmood Hussain, Nasir Ali and Muneer Bhatti.

On the demand of Sialkot business community, Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) had already approved laying of a best quality Astroturf at the proposed Sialkot hockey stadium several years ago but nothing had yet been made practical in this regard, the SCCI president maintained.

He said the district government had allocated 39 kanals of land for the stadium. Local social, sports, business and political circles have urged Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif to issue directive to construct the hockey stadium in the larger interest of local people, especially the hockey players.

Govt plans to check pollution: The Punjab government has evolved a programme costing more than Rs 1 billion to check pollution in the province.

Official sources said Sunday that under the programme special attention would be given to adopting preventative measures to minimise pollution. Special steps would also be taken in improving the environment in industrial areas with an aim to ensure pollution-free atmosphere to the industrial workers.

Under the plan, maximum plantation would also be made in industrial areas and along roads to ensure pollution free environment to the masses in the Punjab, sources added.

Arif Mehmood Sheikh

SIALKOT: The Sialkot business community has contributed Rs 200 million on self-help basis for reconstruction, widening of main roads and other socio-economical development of the city and public welfare projects under Sialkot Development package.

Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) president Dr Khurram Anwar Khawaja said this while talking to journalists at SCCI on Sunday.

He said the Sialkot business community had launched a campaign to raise billions of rupees fund for the beautification of the city, setting an example of self-help for people to replicate it. The SCCI president said Sialkot exporters' enthusiasm had always been exemplary to give the city a better look.

He said the construction work under the City Development Package was progressing fast for benefiting the people of Sialkot and they had always been playing a significant role in strengthening the economy of the country. The Sialkot stands next to Karachi in foreign exchange earning amounting $ 800 million annually due to hard work, dedication of local exporters and industrialists, he maintained.

Dr Khurram said the project like Export Processing Zone (EPZ), second of its kind in Pakistan and Sialkot International Airport is in progress. The Sialkot Dry Port initiated a project in the private sector was catering to the needs of the region comprising Sialkot, Gujranwala, and Gujrat, he added.

Merging of EPZ, Sialkot International Airport and Dry Port at one place in this region would open a new chapter of prosperity and promotion of export business, he observed. He said the business community of Sialkot had completed the projects like Sialkot Customs House, a grand building of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Seerat Study Centre, Sialkot Public School, Jinnah Stadium, several hospitals and many other public welfare and socio-economic development projects on self-help basis.

The SCCI president said the Sialkot exporters and business community had rendered remarkable efforts for the provision of facilities in education and health sectors on self-help basis costing millions of rupees. Their efforts still continued and they had shown an excellent example of self-help, the SCCI chief mentioned.

The glorious examples of Sialkot exporters had paved the way for the business community of the other districts of the country to follow the examples of Sialkot business community, he noted.

The Sialkot business community has constructed international airport on self-help basis here to help the government in the development of the country, he added.

http://thenews.com.pk/updates_pics/10-26-2008_58581_l.gif

SIALKOT: The maiden international flight on board 60 passengers took off for Abu Dhabi at the airport here today.

The people who had come to the airport for seeing off the passengers by the maiden international flight from here expressed their pleasure and exchanged felicitations by embracing each other. Sialkot International Airport Chairman, Chaudhry Ghulam Mustafa was also present on this occasion. Bouquets were presented on behalf of the PIA and the airport management.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008
By Jawwad Rizvi

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has approved development of a private sector fruit and vegetable market parallel to a government-operated market in Sialkot, The News has learnt.

The go-ahead came in response to a request by commission agents of Sialkot, during the chief minister’s visit to the city on July 28. They demanded a fruit and vegetable market at Akbarabad near Ghallah Mandi instead of Eminabad road.

For the shifting of the fruit and vegetable market, a piece of land measuring 153 canals at Eminabad road was acquired in consultation with Anjuman-e-Arhitian, commission agents and the district government. The cost of acquisition of land amounting to Rs26.898 million was paid and possession was given to the market committee. Market Committees Provincial Fund Board contributed a sum of Rs23.057 million for the purchase of land. The map of the market was also approved and 269 plots were carved out, of which 145 plots from allotment quota have been allotted to the commission agents.

However, Anjuman-e-Arhitian later objected to the transfer of market to the already decided site and has demanded to establish the market at Akbarabad near Ghala Mandi. The Anjuman has offered 13 acres of land for establishing the Mandi at their desired site.

The Punjab government has however, refused to entertain their demand of shifting the proposed market to another site at this stage, as the land was already acquired and allotment process was at its final stage. The government said that it will cause huge losses to Market Committees Fund Board because substantial interest could have been gained on the funds if these would not have been transferred for the purchase of land. There is also no mechanism to sell the land once transferred in the name of the market committee.

However, Punjab government by relaxing the rules has granted to establish a fruit & vegetable market at Akbarabad near new Ghalla Mandi on 13 acres of land to accommodate the demand of Anjuman-e-Arhitian. This market will serve as a parallel market and will provide an opportunity for healthy competition with the market established in public sector at Eminabad Road Sialkot.

The agriculture department has already granted permission to establish a few markets in private sector by relaxing Rule 67 of Punjab Agriculture Produce Markets (General) Rules, 1967. Following the permission, the Punjab agriculture department after detailed deliberations, has prepared guidelines for establishment of market in private sector in order to protect the interest of all stakeholders.

Our Correspondent

SIALKOT: The construction work of 46-km long Sialkot-Daska-Gujranwala dual carriageway would begin in December 2008, as Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif has released a special grant of Rs. 1.5 billion for this project.

PML-N central leader and MNA Khawaja Muhammad Asif disclosed this while talking to the newsmen here Friday. He said that the provincial government had revamped this project in the larger public interest, as this project had allegedly been politicised by the PML-Q government and Sialkot district government due to which the work on this project could not start during the last four consecutive years.

During his visit to Sialkot district on July 28, 2008 Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif had announced the reconstruction of main Sialkot-Daska-Gujranwala Road and its conversion into a dual carriageway within a year, which would also be helpful in minimising the ratio of fatal road accidents on this road called "Bloody Road" besides, lessening the rush of traffic on this road, Khawaja Asif added.

Rs1.7b plan for industrial sector in Sialkot



Associated Press of Pakistan

SIALKOT: Punjab government has formulated a well-knitted plan costing Rs.1.70 billion for advancement of industrial sector and development of cottage industries in of the Province, official sources told APP here on Sunday.

Out of this total Rs.1.30 billion would be spent on the development of industrial sector while Rs.400 million would be mobilized on cottage industry for further accelerating the pace of economic activities with the concept of increasing the export-volume in the Punjab.

Under the programme special attention would be accorded on the establishment of maximum industries in private sector for creating wide employment opportunities for jobless educated and skilled persons in the Punjab. The setting up of industrial states would also help in mitigating chances of rapid rural migration towards urban areas of the Province. The government aims to extend full cooperation and facilities to the foreign and overseas Pakistanis investors aimed at ensuring maximum Direct Foreign Investment (DFI) in the Punjab. While exporters and manufacturers were being motivated for bringing innovation and diversification in their products cope with global market more easily sources added. In order to facilitate the SMEs the Punjab government would soon initiate a" Micro Finance" loaning scheme with an amount of Rs.1 billion during current fiscal period for the development of cottage industries and creating self-employment.

http://express.com.pk/images/NP_LHE/20090124/Sub_Images/1100560022-1.gif

http://express.com.pk/images/NP_LHE/20090124/Sub_Images/1100560023-1.jpg

Every city and town of the world deserves the delicious heart attack that is McDonalds.

Remember I told you guys about Hardees coming to Pakistan? Well that's true, it has been reconfirmed, but I cannot tell you how.

Hardees is being brought to pakistan by ppl who own super asia industries...

they are currently under training in Dubai.... I think their first outlet is due to open any time this year...

btw did i tell u that Hardees are a sister concern of world's best Burger chain.. Carl's Junior... (OMG they have the best burgers i have ever eaten) wow...

i want Burger King or Hungry Jack to be in Pak

Culture Ministry to renovate Iqbal Manzil

Friday, June 12, 2009
Islamabad

Ministry of Culture here Thursday constituted a committee for its project of the conservation, rehabilitation and restoration of Allama Iqbal Manzil, Sialkot.

The decision was made during a meeting of Secretary Culture Moin-ul-Islam Bukhari with an eight-member delegation of concerned officials from Sialkot.

Moin-ul-Islam said his ministry has requested for the allocation of Rs14 million-budget for the project of reviving the birthplace of the national poet and great philosopher during the next fiscal year 2009-10.

“This effort will help educate the young generation and the local and foreign visitors to have glimpses of our historical heritage and will prove to be a good attempt on part of the government to restore historical monuments of national importance,” the secretary said.

In this regard, the ministry proposed the constituted committee for appointing a consultant for controlling and finding a permanent solution of the drainage system of Iqbal residence through technical designing and acquire the adjacent buildings to beautify the place in the form of a park.

The committee comprises ex-president Sialkot Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) Mian Naeem Javed as chairman, while President SCCI Hasan Bhatti, Chairman Sialkot International Airport Kh Khawar, Naeem Akhtar, and Director General Department of Archaeology & Museums Fazaldad Kakar are among the members of the committee.

The secretary assured that his ministry would make foremost efforts for completing the project in its true form through involving the public-private sector, adding, “The preservation and promotion of cultural and historical heritage is instrumental in strengthening the identity of a nation.”

The ministry would also write to prominent architect Nayyar Ali Dada for his services to improve the architecture of the place for promoting tourism in Sialkot city, Moin-ul-Islam added.

Former minister for foreign affairs Abdul Sattar on the occasion appreciated the decision for renovating and restoring Iqbal’s birthplace on permanent basis, saying, “60 years of negligence has been rectified.”

Dr Fazaldad Kakar on the occasion gave a multi-media presentation regarding the project that highlighted different images of Iqbal’s residence, the poor conditions of its rooms and the water drainage problems. The presentation also included the upgradation plan, including public facilitation articles, signboards provision, repairing and re-painting for long-term plan of preservation.


http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=182670

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Central Leader and MNA Khawaja Muhammad Asif Said Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has approved a special grant of 700 million for uplift of Sialkot district, as the ten mega socio-economic, human development and public welfare-oriented uplift.

According to details, he said that this developmental package approved by the CM would be a gift to the people of Sialkot. He said that the work was briskly underway for the dualization and reconstruction of main Sialkot-Daska-Gujranwala Road and this Rs. 1 billion project would soon be completed for providing the better means of communication to the people.

He said that this project would also be helpful for lessening the traffic flow and number of the fatal road accidents on this main road.

http://www.app.com.pk/photo/preview/10-05-2011/d9e96eff1b9b10ce6657490285314110.jpg

Waste management projects: Malaysian firm keen to invest in Sialkot

Pollution Engineering Malaysia Managing Director Toney Liew Yuan Chin also showed keen interest in establishing well-equipped water treatment plants in Sialkot industries through the Ministry of Environment Protection of Pakistan.

A leading Malaysian multinational company Pollution Engineering Malaysia has shown keen interest to invest in Pakistan’s waste management cleaning projects in Sialkot.

The project will help tanneries, sports and surgical industries combat with the massive problem of environmental pollution, according to a detailed presentation by company officials on Friday.

Pollution Engineering Malaysia Managing Director Toney Liew Yuan Chin also showed keen interest in establishing well-equipped water treatment plants in Sialkot industries through the Ministry of Environment Protection of Pakistan.
The Malaysian firm head said this while addressing the Sialkot business community at the Cleaner Production Centre.

On this occasion, heads of all Sialkot trade bodies lauded the Malaysian company’s plan and welcomed the investment plan.

NICE LOOKING mall planned for sialkot


http://www.coroflot.com/hhashmeyz/exterior/12?specialty=4&#scroll

NICE LOOKING mall planned for sialkot


http://www.coroflot.com/hhashmeyz/exterior/12?specialty=4&#scroll

thxs malpensa ur contribution to the forum is highly appreciated. It would be awsome if u can directly post the photo rather than providing us the link.


http://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/339093_TOaYjuUsytaZ8uOww1gUOZVlS.jpg

Good to see something like this in Sialkot. I hope and wish this will be built.

Urbanisation: Development authority to be set up for Sialkot

"New power generation projects will be started in consultation with various chambers of commerce and industry," Chief Minister.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced on Tuesday that a Sialkot Development Authority will be set up to plan and implement development projects in the city.

He made this announcement at a meeting with businessmen at the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI).

Sharif said the establishment of a development authority was needed to ensure sustainable growth of the rapidly growing city. He said the public transport system for the city would soon be revamped under a public-private setup. The chief minister said the provincial government would provide 50 air-conditioned buses (imported from China) for promotion of public transport in Sialkot.

The chief minister said more than Rs500 million would be allocated in the next budget for a development package for Sialkot. Under the package, he said, sports complexes would be established in Gujrat, Gujranwala and Sialkot districts to promote healthy activities among the youth. Sharif said funds would also be allocated for the upgrade of a Cardiac Centre in Sialkot.

The chief minister said a project had been approved to convert Aminabad Road into a dual carriageway. He said work on the project would start in the next fiscal year. He said more housing colonies for journalists and labourers would be established in the province in the next fiscal year. SCCI president Naeem Anwar Qureshi urged the government to expedite work on a proposal to establish a Technology University in the city. He said the facility would be helpful in educating businesses and enabling them to adhere to international standards.

nice video of Sialkot shopping and dining area



http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=sRk48vLO1PM

...

del

COAS lays foundation of Pasrur new Cantt




Sialkot - Gen Kayani visited Pasrur on Thursday and performed the ground breaking ceremony of Pasrur Cantonment.
New Cantonment will open new avenues of prosperity and development in the area through creation of economic opportunities and civic facilities including better health and education infrastructure.

Later witnessed the demonstration and competition of the new system of physical training called PACES (Physical Agility and Combat Efficiency System) which is aimed at improving physical standards through scientific techniques.


http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/national/01-Jun-2012/coas-lays-foundation-of-pasrur-cantt

Any update/progress on Gujranwala-Sialkot dual carriageway project???

Jet bridges being instaled at Sialkot International Airport
http://photos.ummat.net/albums/userpics/10002/Px19-024~9.jpg

Any update/progress on Gujranwala-Sialkot dual carriageway project???

from gujranwala up to daska the dual carriageway is built but nandipur new bridge yet not functinal, and from daska to sialkot work going on even in night :)

from gujranwala up to daska the dual carriageway is built but nandipur new bridge yet not functinal, and from daska to sialkot work going on even in night :)

Thanks for news. How many lanes there? And next time fetch some pics :)

from gujranwala up to daska the dual carriageway is built but nandipur new bridge yet not functinal, and from daska to sialkot work going on even in night :)

Thanks for sharing this news. Is it possible to upload some pics of the completed section??

^^
lanes not marked yet it seems like 4 lane 2,2 on both sides, yesterday i had to go to sialkot early in the morning i thought i would take pics on my way back but on coming back i was too tired and forget to take pics so sorry guys

i would say the project is 80% complete... it will fast develop the areas around, will pick up commercial activities and property prices too..

part of the boarding bridge in Sialkot can be seen here .. i think they still have to install the moveable portion..i hope they change the color to grey from white

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/541623_293332867464013_559693081_n.jpg
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/552640_293332957464004_209674685_n.jpg

@saleh shemas