Government Prepares Mining for Precious Stones in Gilgit-Baltistan – Pakistan

The government has prepared a pilot mining project for mining, cutting and value addition of precious stones as per international standards in Gilgit-Baltistan.

According to the report of Business Recorder, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif informed about the development of precious stones industry and reforms in this sector while chairing the review meeting.

The meeting was apprised of the potential of precious stones in the country, current practices of mining and exports and informed that there are vast reserves of precious stones in Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir.

The meeting was further informed that traditional methods are being adopted for mining in these areas due to which precious stones are being lost and the raw materials are mostly smuggled and exported to the whole world after value addition in other countries. is

The meeting was informed that despite the vast amount of reserves, the export of precious stones from Pakistan is few million dollars. Proposals were made to the Prime Minister regarding the gemstone industry and reforms in the sector, one of which is to create a gemstone cluster in GB.

The Prime Minister entrusted the Federal Minister of Privatization with the responsibility of implementing the suggestions and directed him to present the plan of the pilot project in GB within a week.