Punjab promoting trade with Iran, China to boost industry

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Mansoor Ahmad
The Punjab government while adopting focused approach on agriculture has also increased its efforts to revitalise its industrial sector by promoting regional trade with friendly countries like Iran and China where penetration of Pakistani products is below par.

A large number of Lahore businessmen have gone with the Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif to Tehran on mission to attract Iranian investment in Pakistan and explore its market for numerous Pakistani products.

The businessmen comprising representatives from various exporting industries aim to exploit the Iranian textile and engineering products market that had up till now remained neglected.

Iran imports most of its textile products from China, India, Bangladesh and other Asian markets. Pakistani textiles however have no share in Iranian market. The delegation comprising former chairman Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association Shahzad Azam Khan would invite the Iranian textile importers to visit Punjab and inspect the quality of Pakistani knitwear that are competitively priced.

The delegation would also explore the possibility of exporting wheat and wheat products to Iran where the wheat harvest this year has been below normal. Iran would need to import wheat this year to meet its domestic demand.

The chairman Punjab Industrial Estates Mian Mohammad Ali would offer the potential Iranian investors dedicated plots in various industrial estates that are being developed in the province. He will facilitate joint ventures of Iranian and Pakistani businessmen who expect to sign number of agreements for establishing agro-based industries. Punjab government has earmarked vast pieces of land in Sunder and Faisalabad industrial estates for this purpose.

The delegation also includes manufacturers of various home appliances who would offer these light engineering products at attractive prices to the Iranians. President Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mian Muzaffar Ali has invited the Iranians to send a trade delegation to Lahore where the chamber would arrange one to one meeting with manufacturers of various Pakistani products. He has also offered to arrange visit of the delegation to various manufacturing facilities in Punjab.

The Punjab CM who has planned large number of coal and wind based small power projects in the province would assure the Iranian businessmen about ensured availability of power for specified zones where the joint ventures industries with the Iranians would be established.

Punjab CM had earlier visited China for the same purpose accompanied by businessmen from the province. The initiative that should have been taken by the federal government was taken by the province to save millions of jobs that are at stake due to absence of export orders and lower domestic demand.

A Punjab government functionary said that provincial government expects boost in rural demand after a bumper wheat crop that is likely to add billions of rupees in farmers’ kitty. Its planner agriculture planners have now been given the task to ensure a record cotton crop this year by ensuring availability of quality inputs. The agriculture department has increased monitoring of pesticide manufacturers to stop the supply of spurious pesticides for next cotton crop. Many factories around Lahore making fake fertilizers have also been sealed.

President LCCI Main Muzaffar said that the revival of industrial activities is vital for creating job opportunities. He said increased agricultural productivity would bring affluence in rural areas where majority of population resides.

However he added the 35 per cent urban population of the province is under pressure due to regular closure of industries.

He said the Punjab government is adopting a prudent policy to revive the industrial sector in time so that the rural demand that has been created is not wasted in purchase of imported goods.
email: mansoor.malhr@gmail.com

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