GUJRAT: Once known for rapid industrial growth, Gujrat lags far behind in terms of business and industry among the three districts of the ‘golden triangle’ that also includes Sialkot and Gujranwala.

A group of local businessmen said the leadership of Gujrat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GTCCI) lacks the vision required to bring the town on a par with the two districts.

Speaking at the Gujrat Press Club, leaders of Friends Group of GTCCI Afzal Gondal, Sheikh Naseer, Haji Shafique, Chaudhry Faraz and others said despite possessing enough potential to achieve industrial growth, major industries of the town -- electric fans, pottery and furniture -- had been stagnant for long due to lack of opportunities to benefit from modern techniques of doing and promoting business.

They said the chamber must play its role in training and facilitating local businessmen in modern techniques of establishing brand names in local as well as international markets. But unfortunately nothing had been done so far due to lack of a visionary leadership among the ruling group of the GTCCI that according to them had been posting dummy presidents, who did not even have known businesses.

Gondal, known for manufacturing readymade concrete ceilings, said Gujranwala’s industry was about to get a fourth industrial estate besides introducing major brands in electrical, ceramics and plastic furniture sectors. Whereas Sialkot was far ahead by establishing an international airport on self-help basis and now its chamber aimed at launching its own international airline, which would be a remarkable achievement.

He said unlike these two districts of the golden triangle, Gujrat lagged much behind due to only a single industrial estate that was established more than four decades ago. The local industry had been striving for another such area for more than two decades but could not get it despite consistent promises by successive governments.

The friends group leadership said hundreds of small and medium scale units, especially pottery and furniture manufacturing, were operating out of narrow streets of residential areas, which was not only against the law but also a cause of major threat to workers as well as locals. These units did not have the option to shift their businesses to an appropriate location.

They suggested the city needed phase 2 of the industrial estate on emergency basis so units operating in narrow streets could move out. But such a demand had never been a priority of the ruling Shaheen group of the chamber.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2016