Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif today directed the Ministry of Planning to formulate a comprehensive strategy aimed at significantly increasing the foreign sales of processed precious stones.
The directive came during a meeting chaired by the Premier in Islamabad today, where he affirmed a commitment to align Pakistan”s precious stone mining and value-addition processes with global benchmarks. He underscored the nation”s abundant endowment of natural resources, including valuable minerals, identifying this sector as a key area for utilising indigenous assets to expand exports.
Attendees at the meeting were apprised of the government’s initiative to establish three specialised Centers of Excellence. These facilities are intended for the precise cutting, shaping, and preparation of gemstones for their integration into jewellery. Sites have already been secured for these centres in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir, with land acquisition for a similar facility in Islamabad currently underway.
These Centers of Excellence are designed to impart training on gemstone processing in adherence to international quality standards. Further bolstering the sector, Pakistan is set to host its inaugural international exhibition dedicated to precious stones in July this year.
Additionally, in a collaborative effort with Sri Lanka and China, initiatives are being pursued to enhance the skills of the workforce through specialised training programmes in gemstone refinement.