SIALKOT, July 19: The business leaders of Sialkot have strongly reacted to the Trade Policy 2007-08 which they claimed has not offered a single incentive for development of trade and industry and boosting exports.In a joint meeting of all main trade bodies held at the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) here on Thursday, they observed that it was highly disappointing that no fresh measures and incentives were announced in the trade policy to increase export of sports goods, surgical & musical instruments, sports wear, garments, leather garments and leather industries from Sialkot.Central Chairman of Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PRGMEA) Ijaz A. Khokhar said that this trade policy had discouraged Sialkot’s export-oriented industries as it did not receive any incentive from the federal government.

The SCCI officials termed the trade policy “unrealistic” as it lacked incentives and concrete measures for achieving the export and import targets fixed by the government for the current fiscal year.

Central Chairman of Pakistan Leather Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PLGMEA) Ch. Ahmad Zulfiqar Hayyat said that the government did not take the business community into confidence and even rejected the proposals presented by them for the trade policy.

Chairman Pakistan Gloves Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PGMEA) Sheikh Muhammad Younas, Chairman Surgical Instruments Manufacturers Association (SIMA) of Pakistan and Vice-Chairman of Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association (PHMA) Pervaiz Soni also strongly criticised the trade policy.