ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Ministry of Planning to craft a detailed action plan aimed at boosting the exports of precious stones following their processing. In a meeting held in Islamabad, he emphasized the importance of aligning Pakistan’s mining and processing of precious stones with international standards to enhance export potential.

According to Radio Pakistan, the Prime Minister highlighted the country’s natural wealth, including precious stones, as a significant resource that can be leveraged for increased exports. The government is taking steps to establish three Centers of Excellence dedicated to cutting, shaping, and preparing precious stones for jewelry. These centers will be located in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, with land selection underway for a center in Islamabad. The facilities will offer training programs to process precious stones in compliance with global benchmarks.

The meeting also revealed plans for Pakistan’s inaugural international exhibition on precious stones, scheduled for July this year. Additionally, collaborative efforts with Sri Lanka and China are underway to develop a skilled workforce for specialized stone processing.