SIALKOT: Provincial Environment Secretary Iqbal Muhammad Chohan launched the Sialkot Tannery Zone (STZ) project at a ceremony at Khambraanwala near Sialkot on Tuesday.

He said the STZ would help gather tanneries scattered in and around the Sialkot city in the zone.

He said though the provincial government was trying to protect environment, every person should work to provide pollution-free environment to the posterity.

The zone has been established on 400 acres where 554 plots have been allotted to tannery owners. The project was launched in 2009 to shift 264 tanneries from the Sialkot city to the zone. The work was delayed for five years. The zone is likely to be ready by the end of 2015.

STZ Project Director Muhammad Atif told the participants the STZ was such a first ever project in Pakistan while STZ Chief Executive Sheikh Naveed Iqbal said the shortage of funds had been a major hurdle in the delay of the project. He asked the plot holders to ensure the early payments of their arrears.

District Coordination Officer Nadeem Sarwar, Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Fazal Jilani, Senior Vice-President Mir Alamgir Meyer, Malik Naseer Ahmed, Sialkot Dry Port Trust Chairman Muhammad Ishaq Butt, Sialkot International Airport Limited Chairman Sheikh Muhammad Yaqub, Project Director Muhammad Atif and senior officials of public departments were also present.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2014