A three-day mountain crafts and products exhibition, which began on Thursday, has displayed different samples of gemstones, handicrafts, indigenous products and herbs from Northern Areas and Chitral.
The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) in collaboration with the Karakorum Areas Development Organisation (KADO) has organised the exhibition in a local hotel.
Swiss ambassador Denis Feldmeyer inaugurated the exhibition, which depicts richness of Northern Areas in gems and other precious stones. The objective of the exhibition is to promote and project home-made handicrafts and other local products of mountain areas so as to introduce them to national and international markets. Scores of different gemstones were displayed at stalls including garnet or alexandir, amethyst, bloodstone, diamond, emerald, pearl, ruby, peridot, sapphire, opal, topaz and turquoise.
Other exhibits included local embroidery, green serpentine stones, dry fruits and a multi-purpose local plant "seabuckthorn".
A stall-holder said according to scientific research, leaves and fruits of seabuckthorn contain more than 200 bio-chemical substances, which are fundamental for human health and high contents of vitamin-C. Research has also shown use seabuckthorn products has been highly effective in improving immunity, normalise metabolism, promote blood circulation by removing stasis, treatment of gastric ulcer, liver protection, cardiovascular diseases and anemia and other diseases.
Seabuckthron oil is considered a good anti-oxidizer and plays an important role in inhibiting of cancer and skin-aging process.
"Seabuckthron", is widely grown in Northern Areas over an area of about 7000 acres and producing about 5000 tons annually. The Swiss ambassador appreciated initiatives taken by area development organisations and urged them to involve maximum number of female in promoting economic activities.