Pakistani leather industry is well established and ranked second, after textiles in terms of export earnings in the country. Because of its high value addition, huge growth and employment opportunities, leather sector has already been declared a top priority sector for the country.

Today, the leather industry is at a crossroad of development in Pakistan. To become attractive globally, the sector must comply with environmental and regulatory standards, which can have a rapid and direct impact on poverty reduction and contribution to improved exports, regional development, and inclusion.

Despite the existing challenges, the sector is attracting increasing interest from international investors as an emerging preferred low-cost manufacturing hub in Asia with a steadily growing economy, abundant, easy to train and affordable labour force, preferential market access and strategic geo-economic location.

Leveraging on the existing momentum, this strategy seeks to address several crucial areas of change including the attainment of fair social and environmental trading standards, and improved working conditions which otherwise prejudice the image and good reputation that the leather industry seeks for itself.

Through this strategy, the leather and leather goods industry’s vision is for:

‘Pakistan to be among the top exporting countries in the world for leather and leather goods, through investments in state-of-the-art technology, skilled human resources and safe environmental management practices in a socially viable environment.’

The Strategy emphasizes the following strategic and operational objectives: