PESHAWAR: Holding a gems and jewellery exhibition in Peshawar was the latest attempt of business community to present a soft image of the violence-hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

However, the provincial government failed to play any positive role in encouraging the traders.

The negligence and lack of interest by the government can be judged from the fact that neither Chief minister Pervez Khattak nor a single minister bothered to pay a visit to the venue, Nishtar Hall, to pet the organisers, who invited the dealers of precious and semi-precious stones from different parts of the country and abroad.

Arranging the three-day gems show without government support was not an easy job but the organisers proved it that community could play vital role if it was determined.

Apparently it was an ordinary show where gems, jewellery, antiques and garments were displayed at around 117 stalls that attracted a large number of citizens but in the prevailing situation it was a great achievement of the peace lovers.

Holding of such exhibition in Islamabad, Lahore or any other safer city of the country can be described as a routine activity but in Peshawar it was really a great job on part of the organisers, who took the risk of bringing traders along with their precious stones worth millions of rupees under one roof.

Fortunately, the law and order situation has improved to great extent and it is time for both the businessmen and government to devise a joint strategy for boosting economy of the province, mainly through foreign investment.

The post 9/11 scenario has brought business activities in the country in general and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in particular to a standstill.

The menace of terrorism has caused capital flight as businessmen are shifting to safer places in the country and abroad.

The outflow of capital from the province has also increased the ratio of joblessness and an uncertainty prevails everywhere.

The incidents of kidnapping for ransom, extortion and targeted attacks during the past several years have caused unrest among the local investors, who in a state of compulsion have shifted their businesses from Peshawar.

The public support for Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in the 2013 general election was also meant to help the party materialise its slogan of ‘change’. No doubt, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has a vast potential of natural resources but the rulers so far could not exploit the resources to bring a real change in the fate of people.

The situation at mines and mineral development department can easily be judged from the fact that after the arrest of its (former) minister, Ziaullah Afridi, and some other officials there is no one to talk to media.

None of the relevant officials were seen to visit the exhibition, except a few, who were led by Shahid Lateef of the commerce ministry, Islamabad.

The government has a lot of work to do for the welfare of the people by taking concrete steps for bringing in foreign investors, reviving business activities, boosting economy and restoring sustainable peace in the province.

However, it has a short time for it as its tenure will end after about two years. If the government fails to set priorities, it will not be able to achieve its goals.

At the conclusion of the exhibition, the businessmen raised some demands, which included construction of gem stones complex of international standard in Peshawar to play as a hub of gem business for Pakistan and Afghanistan and other neighbouring states.

“We wish the government to establish a separate directorate for gem stones and start diploma courses in the field so that the local students could get knowledge about it and play role in strengthening the local economy,” said the organiser of the show, Shakeel Waheedullah, who is also chairman of Gemological Association of Pakistan.

Referring to demands of the dealers, he said that government should provide easy loans to the businessmen so that they could arrange the required machinery for exploration, cutting and finishing of the precious stones. He said that they were spending huge money on sending the stones abroad.

He also sought support from Pakistani diplomats in various countries in displaying and marketing of the gemstones and asked for removal of unnecessary hurdles in communication of the businessmen and their consignments.

Regarding the objective of the show, Mr Waheedullah said that its basic purpose was to present a soft image of the province to the world because its people had suffered in the war against terrorism but even then they had the capability to face the hardships, stand on their feet and prove that peace had returned to the soil.

He complained that federal government had banned issuing NOC to the foreigners for visiting the exhibition although many of them belonging to different countries managed to arrive and bought the gemstones.

Another businessman Abdul Malik, who is general secretary of the association, said that by holding a successful exhibition the community tried to restore confidence of the investors regarding peace in Peshawar.

“The participation of gem dealers from Afghanistan, Quetta, Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral, Swat, Sindh, Punjab and local people is a live proof that the law and order situation is under control and one can easily invest in any sector in the province,” said Mr Malik.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2015

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