Islamabad: Advisor to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, has reaffirmed the government's commitment to advancing skills development, investment, value addition, branding, and exports within Pakistan's gemstones sector. He emphasized these priorities while chairing a high-level meeting of the Steering Committee on the development and promotion of the gemstones sector in Islamabad today.
According to Radio Pakistan, the meeting focused on various strategies to enhance the sector, including measures to promote investment, improve market access, and increase exports. Haroon Akhtar Khan highlighted plans to identify specific blocks for the mining of high-value gemstones such as topaz and ruby across different regions of the country. This initiative aims to facilitate systematic and high-quality mining operations.
The advisor stressed the importance of involving provincial authorities to ensure coordinated and effective implementation of policies nationwide. The committee was informed about upcoming initiatives, such as dedicated gemstones expos in Karachi and Islamabad. These expos are intended to offer a platform for local businesses, miners, traders, exporters, and international buyers to interact and establish new business connections.
Additionally, it was announced that a dedicated training center for the gemstones and jewelry sector would be established in Quetta. Furthermore, Centres of Excellence for the gemstones sector are planned for Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Islamabad, aiming to bolster the sector's growth and development.