ABSTRACT
Sporting goods has become so important to Sialkot that it has virtually transformed the city. The northeastern area of the Punjab, in which Sialkot is located, has a long history of manufacturing wood and leather products. The sub-mountainous district of Sialkot had ideal climatic conditions for both woodworking and leather goods to flourish. British soldiers and missionaries in various cantonment areas in the Punjab, such as Jullunder and Ambala, began sending their damaged sports items to Sialkot for mending. In 1888, Ganda Singh Uberoi, one of the teachers at the Sialkot Mission High School, set up Uberoi Limited with his brother, Jhanda Singh. Entrepreneurs in the industry claim that due to Sialkot’s proximity near the Indian border, Muslim businessmen and financiers who migrated to Pakistan during Partition went elsewhere in the new country. From 1960–69, the government advanced the formation of large units in this industry through its Export Bonus voucher scheme.
