Marble and granite sector would be addressed scientifically with a consistent follow up by the ministry of industries and production to achieve an investment of Rs 2 billion and the export target of 500 million dollars in this area.
Jahangir Khan Tareen, Federal Minister of Industries, Production and Special Initiatives said while chairing a meeting with marble & granite and gem & jewellery sector stakeholders here on Monday. The meeting was to submit initial proposals for strategies to be chalked out by Smeda for development of marble, granite, gem and jewellery sectors as per advice of the minister.
Smeda Chief Shahab Khawaja made detailed presentations in two separate sessions on the status, issues and prospects in the marble, granite, gem and jewellery sectors.
Jahangir Tareen said that same studies should be carried out for the remaining priority areas without any delay. He said the country needed an emergent solution to the prevailing poverty and unemployment issues. He expressed confidence that SME sector had a capacity and capability to address such issues amicably. In this regard, he emphasised to draw permanent and long-term strategies. The minister specifically desired creation of institutional arrangements to empower the private sector for implementation of the strategies to be developed by Smeda. He advised Smeda to conclude the development strategies for gem, jewellery marble & granite at the earliest possible and move on to engineering, furniture, fisheries, sport goods and dairy sectors.
Regarding development of gem and jewellery sector, the minister announced to institute two separate working groups. Asif Khan, Chairman All Pakistan Commercial Exporters Association was nominated as Convener of the Working Group on Gem and Asadur Rehman was appointed as Convener to the Working Group on Jewellery. The minister advised these groups to conclude their working by next week and submit the recommendations through Smeda for further intervention of the ministry. Smeda Chief Shahab Khawaja pointed out that the marble & granite sector had a potential of attracting over Rs 2 billion investments and generating 10,000 to 50,000 direct employment in next three years. He further assured that if Smeda's proposed plan is implemented, this sector would be able to project Pakistan on international M&G export map by increasing the export in this area from 20 million dollars to over 500 million dollars. He said that Pakistan was exporting only 03 percent of its production in this sector as compared to India who was exporting 52 percent production of its marble & granite. He regretted that currently the sector in Pakistan was witnessing about 80 percent wastage of the M&G resources because of the conventional methods of exploration.
During the meeting, the participants from various provinces highlighted the critical law and order situation created by uncooperative locals in the mining areas, while various far-reaching affects of this unfriendly environment existing there. The participants felt that technical developments and investment in mining were not possible with this kind of enterprises. A number of other development interventions were discussed including establishment of the model quarry, training institutes and technical assistance by quarry masters. However, it was agreed that the minister would share the consultative process of the marble and granite sector on weekly basis. The consultative process with stakeholders of marble and granite sector will also be supported by USAID project in addition to the existing interventions of Smeda.
Smeda's findings on gem sector revealed that by addressing the constraints to be faced by this sector, the total export of gem could be increased from 9.15 million dollars to over one billion dollars.
Smeda's presentation on the jewellery sector disclosed that Pakistan was exporting jewellery worth 30 million dollars only as compared to India whose export amounted to 1.4 billion dollars. India's gold imports have been registered to be 4 billion dollars in the last five years, whereas, no import of gold is allowed in Pakistan due to which most of the gold arrives in Pakistan through smuggling, Smeda study said. However, it pointed out that Pakistan had a potential of increasing its export in this sector to 600 million dollars in the next three year provided a full-fledged plan for development of this sector is implemented.
The meeting was also attended by Dr Mutawakkil Qazi, Federal Secretary Industries and Production, Abid Javed Akbar, Vice Chairman EPB, Saquib Mohayuddin, Chief of the NOP, Warren Weinstein of the USAID and senior officers of Smeda.
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