ISLAMABAD, May 25: Nike — the world largest sportswear supplier — is resuming imports of about 5,000 footballs per day from a new supplier in Pakistan and will subsequently increase it to about 15,000 per day after 90 days of successful operations.

Silver Star Group, a soccer manufacturer in industrial city of Sialkot, would eventually be given a contract of 2-3 million footballs per day out of Nike’s international supplies of about 6-7 million balls, Abbas Bhatti, production manager of Silver Star told Dawn on telephone from Sialkot.

Nike had stopped soccer imports from Pakistan in November last year following its dispute with Saga Sports over issues relating to labour laws and child abuse and Saga’s inability to comply with international standards on workers rights. As a result, Pakistan lost a guaranteed export of about Rs2 billion per annum.

At the time of suspension, Saga was supplying 15,000-25,000 balls per day. Each ball depending on quality is to fetch $5-8 to Pakistan in foreign exchange.

The US-firm Nike had severed its import relations with Saga Sports for alleged violation of code of conduct on worker rights and child rights and had said Saga hired outside manufacturers and part-time workers and paid them in per-ball basis for manufacturing and supplying sports goods to Nike.

“It was a bad day for Pakistan and Sialkot when Nike shifted its production base to China last year,” Bhatti said and added that the Sialkot’s brand name would stand restored in the international market after resumption of soccer exports.

Silver Star’s chief executive Sheikh Jahangir Iqbal was currently in Thailand finalising export schedules where he signed with Nike’s management a contract for soccer ball supplies.

Initially, about 5,000 balls would be exported per day and after three-month successful operation both in terms of quality and compliance with code of conduct, the supply order would be enhanced to 10,000-15,000 over a period of one year.Under the contract with Nike, Silver Star would hire full time workers and pay them in hourly wages, ensure health and other benefits of full-time employees. The continuation of the contract beyond three months would be subject to professional audit from third party for code of conduct and standards on child and worker rights.

Mr Bhatti said following end of ties between Nike and Saga, eight or nine soccer manufacturers had detailed meetings with Nike over the last few months and convinced the US-firm to ensure code of conduct. As a result, Nike invited tenders and short-listed four firms on the basis of quality standards and compliance with code of conduct and finally selected Silver Star for the contract.

He said Silver Star has already imported and installed Rs50 million worth of machinery and equipment to ensure quality standards and hoped the transaction would restore Pakistan’s brand name of all exports.