Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has granted approval to a comprehensive National Policy Framework that will help tap into Pakistan’s gemstone sector and access an extra $450 billion in exports.
He said Pakistan holds gemstone reserves estimated at $450 billion, yet annual exports remain limited to $5.8 million. He set a target of increasing gemstone exports to $1 billion within the next five years.
Shehbaz ordered to set up Centres of Excellence this year to train experts for this sector. He also directed the creation of international-standard testing labs and a formal certification and warranty regime.
The aim is to shift exports from illegal smuggling channels to documented, legal trade, to generate massive foreign exchange inflows.
The prime minister further instructed to conduct geological surveys for mapping the location, quality, and value of Pakistan’s gemstone deposits, including emeralds, rubies, peridot, topaz, and aquamarine. The Ministry of Finance has been directed to immediately release the required funds.
The step of building latest laboratories for testing is very good and along with it, good and excellent policies should be made and Pakistan’s capable Geologists should be given the opportunity to work.
All the good and profitable mines are in the hands of influential people.
Even before proper, scientific exploration has been conducted, we start immediately mentioning billions of dollars as the worth of anything undiscovered and unseen. A few weeks ago we similarly mentioned billions worth of minerals just to please our own imagination. The PM has ordered now. What stopped him and his predecessors from exploring and extracting these gemstones earlier? For God’s sake, stop showing the public and the international community the ‘green gardens’ and instead do some some concrete work for the welfare of the 250 million people of the country.