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Karachi, June 01, 2013 (PPI-OT): The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has approached the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) for help and made a study for investments in Lahore, Gujranwalla and Sialkot regions for SMEs of Karachi who are unable to carry on their business satisfactorily due to poor law and order situation prevailing in many parts of the city and have decided to shift to Punjab for better prospects.
President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver said due to deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi the union requested its patron, Chaudhry Sameeullah the vice chairman of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) to help the SME units of Karachi who have decided to shift to Punjab and guide them in selecting the correct location to set up their units in Punjab according to the nature of their work.
Sameeullah advised that in Lahore Region, there exist huge prospects to invest in production based set ups on Multan road which starts from Thokar Niaz Baig and goes right up to Multan.
He pointed out that the closer you remain to Lahore, the costlier is the land and the far you move from Lahore, the cheaper is the property. Although there are lots of textile industries built on this road and it is suitable for stitching, spinning, yarn sector Investment. The Sundar Industrial Estate also has huge potential to invest. In terms of living, Lahore has the best educational, health and recreational facilities and SMEs would be comfortable in the region.
He suggested that in Gujranwala region the G.T. Road between Lahore and Gujranwala owes huge potential for industrial sector due to availability of skilled staff for ceramics, agricultural, foods and textile facilities and is best for the medium sector as the land is expensive than that on Multan Road.
Similarly, towards Sheikhupura (Faisalabad – Sheikhupura) Road is also suitable for industrial sector development due to availability of skilled labor in surrounding areas. If you come towards Kamoke then it owes huge potential in rice Sector as all land in north east and north west of Kamoki (Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Narowal, Siakot, Mandi Bahauddin) is known for production of superior quality basmati rice and ideal place for SME rice units.
He added that Sialkot region has good potential for surgical, sports goods which require relatively less investment but more cottage / home based industries exist here and Sialkot also is known for best land for rice too.
Sameeullah believes that the Multan Road (Lahore), Sundar Industrial Estate (Lahore), Sheikhupura – Faisalabad Road is the best option for those SMEs who choose to reside in Lahore and desire to work in textiles and engineering sectors. While, Gujranwlaa – Lahore G.T. Road has good potential in rice, ceramics, textile, tanneries, flour and related industries.
The union expressed hope and confidence in the business friendly leadership of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and the provincial government of PML-N in Punjab and urged the PML-N to facilitate the SMEs in setting up of coal gasification energy plants for generating electricity and abolishing import duty and sales tax on the import of alternate energy systems to make them affordable. The union also requested for the facility of leasing for alternate energy systems on concessional mark up.
The union stated that the environment friendly modern coal gasification energy generation plants would help resolve the energy crisis in all the provinces and would boost the production in the country.
For more information, Contact:
Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME)
75/1 3rd Commercial Street,
Phase IV, D.H.A., Karachi, Pakistan
Phones: + 92 35884225 and 6
Cell: + 92 300 8245307 and + 92 321 8245307
Fax: + 92 35380642
Email: unisame@gmail.com