Muhammad Saleem

The proposed industrial estate in Sialkot will boost business if the entrepreneurs get a level playing field and affordable energy, said the ex-president of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Ikram-ul-Haq while talking to Wealth Pakistan.

The estate will be established on a total area of 1,406 acres, rather than 400 acres, as mistakenly reported in the national media. He said Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had approved the establishment of the estate and directed the industries secretary to finalize the proposal and prepare a summary by October 30 so that work on the project could begin.

“The estate is expected to generate around 1,50,000 jobs. Under ‘UDAAN Pakistan’, the provincial government has pledged to achieve $10 billion in exports by 2035. We will try our best to increase exports if the government provides industrialists with a level playing field,” he said.

Explaining the need for an industrial zone in Sialkot, Ikram said industrialists were unable to meet environmental compliance, social compliance, and quality certification requirements due to multiple factors. The district lacks a proper sewage system, and factories are located in the residential areas. This situation raises audit and environmental objections, creating major hurdles to industrial expansion in Sialkot.

Another factor restricting industrial growth is the high cost of land in the city, which ranges from Rs5 million to Rs10 million per marla (272.3 sq ft). However, in this industrial zone, he said, industrialists will get a developed plot for approximately Rs30 million to Rs40 million per acre, which will include both the land and development costs.

The SCCI ex-president said Nespak had prepared the feasibility report of the project. Out of a total of 1,406 acres, approximately 880 acres have been subdivided into plots, and the Sialkot Chamber has already received requests covering nearly 750 acres. The proposed industrial estate will house all federal and provincial government departments to ensure one-window operation.

Naveed Ashraf, a Member of Punjab Assembly, told Wealth Pakistan that industrialists in the district had been demanding such an estate for years. The facility would allow industrialists to relocate their units, which would help increase exports and create more jobs. “The land in Sialkot is expensive, and finding suitable plots for the installation of industrial units has been a daunting task.

However, this project will help shift the industry out of the city areas, creating a more conducive environment for entrepreneurs and paving the way for broader industrial expansion,” Naveed said. This is truly a gift from the Punjab government for the people, particularly the industrialists of Sialkot, and neighboring areas, he added.

Credit: INP-WealthPk