Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan met with leading gemstone exporter Barnaby Plowright in Islamabad today to discuss the formulation of the National Gemstones Policy.
The meeting focused on strengthening Pakistan’s gemstone sector through policy reforms, formalization, and international collaboration. During his visit, Khan toured Plowright’s gemstone facility in Islamabad and was briefed on the complete process of diamond polishing, grading, and packaging.
Khan said that, under directives from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the upcoming policy aims to facilitate exporters and manufacturers by granting gemstone exporters the status of an industry. This move is expected to help document and regulate a largely informal sector, which currently sees an estimated $2 billion in undocumented trade.
He added that the policy seeks to integrate the gemstone industry into the formal economy, enabling Pakistan to generate significant revenue. The policy is expected to be finalized within a month, drawing on international best practices and successful global models.
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Highlighting Pakistan’s rich mineral resources, Khan noted that the country is home to some of the world’s finest-quality gemstones. He praised Plowright and his team for their technical expertise, innovation, and contribution to gemstone processing in Pakistan.
