Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairs a meeting on the gemstone sector in the federal capital. PHOTO: APP
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday noted that Pakistan had been blessed with abundant natural resources, including precious stones, highlighting that the sector offered great potential to increase exports using local resources.
The prime minister chaired a high-level review meeting focused on aligning Pakistan’s gemstone mining and processing sector with international standards and improving exports, including the establishment of three Centers of Excellence across the country.
He stressed that transparency must continue to be a key element in the establishment of centers of excellence.
The Prime Minister tasked the Ministry of Planning with formulating a comprehensive strategy to boost exports of processed gemstones. The ministry was expected to present the plan soon, the PM Office Media Wing said in a statement.
He appreciated the efforts of his special assistant Haroon Akhtar and his team in promoting development of the sector and termed their initiatives as commendable.
The meeting was attended by Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Dr Musadik Malik, Jam Kamal Khan, Ali Pervaiz Malik, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar, State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmad, Principal Secretaries of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir and other senior officials.
During the briefing, participants were informed about the ongoing efforts to introduce modern gemstone mining and processing techniques.
The meeting was informed that three centers of excellence were being established to provide international level training in cutting, polishing and preparing gemstones for use in jewellery.
Land had already been identified for establishing such centers in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, while work was underway to identify a site in Islamabad.
