Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to carry out reforms in the gemstones sector to promote the industry and enhance its exports, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The prime minister, chairing a meeting to discuss the matters pertaining to the reforms in gemstones sector in Islamabad on Friday, said he would personally head the steering committee to promote the industry and its reformation.

He tasked Privatisation Minister Abdul Aleem Khan to ensure the implementation of reforms.

He said the government would launch a project in Gilgit Baltistan to elevate the standards of mining, chiseling and value addition of gemstones industry, assuring the federal government’s support to GB government in this regard.

The prime minister said that unfortunately the gemstone sector was neglected during last 77 years and the precious asset was being wasted through conventional mining methods.

He directed the authorities concerned to formulate an action plan of international standard within a month and take measures for its implementation. He also sought a report on the practical measures for reforms in the gemstone sector and their outcome.

He told the participants that the government would not allow smuggling of the gemstones and sought a report on the subject within a week, after consultation with the GB government.

The prime minister also called for the priority measures to achieve the international certification of Pakistan’s gemstones.

In the briefing, it was told that a total of 178 licenses had so far been issued for mining of gemstones.

It was told that the 80 percent of Pakistan’s gemstones exports consisted of raw materials and the promotion of the industry would help boost country’s exports and create jobs.

The prime minister also called for a comprehensive action plan for the skill training of Pakistani manpower in modern mining, polishing, chiseling and value addition.

The meeting was told that GB, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir had huge reserves of gemstones but conventional methods were being used there causing the wastage of the asset.

It was told that raw material was mostly smuggled and exported from other countries after value addition. Despite huge reserves, Pakistan’s gemstones exports stood at few million dollars.

In the meeting, proposals were put forward for reforms in the gemstone sector besides the development of a gemstones cluster in GB

The prime minister tasked the privatisation minister to implement the proposals and launch a pilot project in GB within a week.

Federal ministers Jam Kamal Khan, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Dr Musaddik Malik, State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmed, PM’s Coordinator Rana Ehsan Afzal, chief secretaries of GB, AJK and KP, and relevant senior officers attended the meeting.