SIALKOT, Sept 4 The Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has urged the federal government to declare the Sialkot as a tax free zone as this could give a major boost to exports from the city.

Meanwhile, the SCCI president Hassan Ali Bhatti asked the Sialkot exporters to focus on export of non-traditional products and explore the new markets. He urged the government to introduce a skill development programme for the export-oriented industries with a view to promote the country's value added sector.

He said that thousands of small and medium enterprises in and around the city were engaged in export of value-added quality goods like gloves, musical instruments, martial arts uniforms, cutlery and military uniform badges.

Chairman Surgical Instruments Manufacturers Association (SIMA) of Pakistan Sarfraz Chaudhry pointed out that the association had been demanding establishment of a surgical training institute at Sialkot but the concerned officials never bothered to consider this genuine demand of the industry.