Daily Times

Sir: I am writing in reference to Babar Ayaz’s article, ‘Feeling depressed? Visit the booming Sialkotis’ (Daily Times, April 26, 2011). The writer is right that this city has some great entrepreneurial minds. The Sialkotis have always acted on the quote, ‘God helps those who help themselves’. That is the reason why their infrastructure is much better than that in adjoining cities.

But let me show you the other side of the picture as well. Your article somehow made this city sound like heaven. I also belong to Sialkot and in this ‘booming city’ I have remained unemployed for the last eight months after completing my MBA. The problem with Sialkot’s exporters is that they are reluctant to invest in human resources. They are ready to put their money on the roads and dry ports, etc, which is good but unfortunately their view regarding employees has not changed much.

I interned in a gloves manufacturing and exporting company where I got to know how sick our exporters are with these compliance regulations. WTO and other compliance regulations have some protection for labour but the staff employees have nothing. You can get a clear picture of what the situation is by the fact that I was recruited by an organisation a few days ago, and what they offered me was exactly the same amount that they gave to their newly hired sweeper.

My purpose of writing this letter is to request that the next time Mr Ayaz writes something on Sialkot he should mention some of these problems as well.

MUBASHER JAVED

Via e-mail