The surgical industry in Pakistan dates back to the 19th century, when British doctors got their surgical instruments repaired from the skilled craftsmen of Sialkot, and thus it laid foundation to the Surgical Industry in Sialkot.
Although Pakistan fetches a very small share in the world trade, still the local industry possesses specialized skills and workers expertise which carry a century old experience in producing these sophisticated items.
The city of Sialkot is very well known particularly in Europe for its Surgical industry. There are around 2300 companies engaged in this industry which produce on average 150 million pieces per year.
Pakistan mainly produces basic disposable instruments. Almost 95% of products are export oriented. Pakistani products are exported to Germany, France, USA, Belgium, etc.
Practically Sialkot has no competitors on basic components, or in the field of ophthalmic portable instruments. Most of the production from Germany has shifted to Pakistan. As a result, Pakistan produces semi-finished products which are repackaged in Germany, Europe & USA and then sold internationally at higher prices.
Pakistan exports the following types of medical and surgical instruments:
- Instruments and appliances used in medical or veterinary sciences
- Instruments and appliances, used in dental sciences
- Needles, catheters, cannulas
- Syringes, with or without needles
- Oxygen therapy, artificial respiration/ therapeutic respiration
- Dentists, barbers or similar chairs and parts thereof
- Medical, surgical, dental or veterinary furniture and parts
- Dental drill engines, whether or not combined on a single base equipment
- Ophthalmic drill engines, and appliances
- Breathe appliances & gas masks, protective masks
- Tubular metal needles and needles for sutures
- Mechano-therapy application; massage app; psychological aptitude test apparatus