President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF), President AKIA, Senior Vice Chairman of the Businessmen Panel of FPCCI and former provincial minister Mian Zahid Hussain on Monday said Manufacturing units in the Sahiwal are comprised of Agricultural Implements, Aluminum Products, Auto Parts, Confectionery, Cotton Ginning & Pressing, Dairy Products, Foundry Products, Leather Garments, Rice Mills, and Motorcycle. Trees grown in the area include Kikar, Shisham, and Mulberry, etc., increasing the beauty and attraction of the city.
The veteran business leader said that As per Punjab Development Statistics there are 300 broiler and 85 layer poultry farms in Sahiwal having rearing capacity of about 15000 thousand birds respectively. The main Peshawar – Karachi railway line passes through Sahiwal District connecting the city to the rest of the Country, he added.
The first project under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) – the Sahiwal coal-fired power plant is up and running. The 1320 MW Sahiwal coal-fired power is inaugurated in 2017. It was built by a joint venture of two Chinese firms; the Huaneng Shandong Company and Shandong Ruyi Science & Technology Group. Raw materials required for the plant’s construction like cement, sand, crush, wood, and other building material was carried in from local markets of Pakistan while Sahiwal provided the furniture required for the project, which benefited the entire Country.
The former minister said in view of production of various crops and fruits, there exists large potential for textile spinning, weaving and processing mills, textile made-ups i.e. hosiery, terry towel, surgical bandages, etc, starch, glucose from maize, furfural from corn (maize) cobs, rice bran oil, fruit juice, jams, jellies and pickles. Good potential for automobile silencers, fiberglass water tanks, capacitors, insulators, gas appliances, geometry boxes for school children, detergent powder, plastic flush tanks, high density shopping bags, PVC Pipes, etc., lies in the city.
Mian Zahid Hussain said the University of Sahiwal should make proper research for the betterment of economic development of the Country. The local MNAs and MPAs should take measures for the betterment of the city in accordance to the recommendations of Sahiwal Chamber of commerce and industry and should establish new technical institutes to fulfill human resource demand of the industries.