PESHAWAR (APP): With the development of natural resources like minerals, tourism, gemstones, the province can be taken out of the backwardness and made a major contributor to the country’s economy, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Haji Ghulam Ali said during his visit to All Pakistan Commercial Exporters Association (APCEA) in the city of Namak Mandi.
The Governor, during his visit met with the business community dealing in precious stones, representatives of APSIA, the people of the area and urged upon of making a comprehensive planning and police for this valuable sector development that could play a key role in Pakistan economy in general and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in particular.
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Haji Ghulam Ali said that economic stability can be brought only by the provision of facilities to all the business community of the province, including those associated with the gemstone sector, and the promotion of business and industry in the province.
Significant development can be made possible in this sector, he added. He said, in this context, the business community associated with the Gemstones sector should get the support of students who have graduated from universities who are familiar with modern technology, so that the youth can get employment with the precious stones of the province.
Exports can be increased along with introducing tourism at the global level, the Governor said, during his visit to the office of All Pakistan Commercial Exporters Association (APCEA) located in Namak Mandi, a congested area of inner city Peshawar.
During the meeting with the representatives and officials of the present association, on this occasion, former caretaker provincial ministers Fazal Elahi, Adnan Jalil, Chairman of APSEA Syed Minhajuddin Bacha, Patron General Haji Mamour Khan, former coordinator of FPCCI Sartaj Ahmed were also present. Former Chairman Malik Naveed, Farooq Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Dr. Madiha, Sara Tafsheen and others were also there and welcomed the Governor.
On reaching the APCEA office, the Governor was warmly welcomed and garlanded. Presenting the SPAS letter containing the problems and difficulties faced by the related persons and the suggestions and demands for the development of the said sector, he said that the gem stones sector should be given the status of an industry and Geology Center should be established in the universities. There was also a demand to make stones duty-free along with the elimination of difficulties.
On this occasion, Governor Haji Ghulam Ali said that his desire and effort is to end the problems of all the business communities of the province. Gemstones sector is a very valuable sector of this province, using natural resources including minerals, tourism, and gemstones.
By bringing it, we have to prove that our province is not backward and this province has a major share in the country’s economy, he added. He said that the integrated tribal districts including Swat, Kohistan have a great potential for precious stones, coal, copper, marble and other minerals. For the development of the gemstone sector, the use of modern technology is very necessary to compete in the global market, he said, adding, the development of the gemstone sector can be made possible with the best planning and policy, to take advantage of the potential of precious stones in the province.
The governor said that he will issue instructions to the universities to sign a MoU agreement with APCEA for the development of the gemstones department. He said that the Pak-Afghan International Expo will be organized in April.
They will make Peshawar a gem export city together with the business community, he said that all relevant institutions including the provincial and federal government have patronized the business community and will continue to do so in the future.
Other officials paid great tributes to the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying that he is the first public governor to visit the business community, meet the people and visit the most densely populated areas without any protocol, on which the people of Peshawar and the business community are attracted to him. He also thanked the governor for coming to the office of APCEA and for the assurance of support and cooperation for the development of the James Stones Department.
