Ministry to establish state-of-the-art gemstone centre at Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The Federal government has announced plans to construct a top-tier gemstone center in the nation's capital, Islamabad, to boost the growth and economic potential of the gemstone industry. During a significant meeting chaired by Haroon Akhtar Khan, the Prime Minister's adviser on Industries and Production, the decision was made to modernize the gemstone sector, reinforce local processing abilities, and boost export prospects.

The meeting also included Prime Minister’s Coordinator Rana Ihsan Afzal, Additional Secretary Humaira Zia Mufti, and Joint Secretary Freedoon Akram Sheikh. Haroon Akhtar Khan stressed that Pakistan's gemstone industry holds the capacity to generate billions of dollars in economic activity and significantly boost exports. However, the presence of inadequate facilities, outdated methods, and limited access to modern technology has led to the loss of considerable quantities of precious stones during the mining and processing stages.

To address these concerns, the advisory body is working on the Gemstones Policy, which aims to prevent the loss of valuable resources and stimulate systematic development in the sector. By embracing modern technologies and refining processing techniques, the government believes that the industry can substantially increase the value of gemstones and curtail potential losses worth billions of dollars.

The proposed gemstone center is viewed as a crucial step in modernizing the sector, minimizing post-mining losses, enhancing value addition, and positioning Pakistan's gemstones more competitively in global markets.