PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Gems and Jewellery Development Company will organise a four-day international exhibition of gems and jewellery in Lahore from April 13 to provide an opportunity of international exposure to the local market.

Speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Thursday, chief executive officer of the company, Bakhtiar Khan, said that a strategy was being evolved to enhance exports of gems and jewellery, and market the country’s precious and semi-precious stones in the global market in a befitting manner.

He that the exhibition would highlight the skills and potential of the local gem and jewellery industry. He said that Pakistan had shown rapid growth in natural stones and jewellery sector, adding that the exhibition would help the businesspersons to get global recognition.

Mr Khan said that this event would enable the small scale traders to get access to international market by strengthening their business links with people of different countries.

Accompanied by director Atif Rasheed, principal of Gems and Jewellery Training and Manufacturing Center, Peshawar, Ilyas Shah, and other officials, he said that the company had focused on four major components, including skill development, technology upgradation, quality, and marketing and branding.

The company’s CEO said that the gems and jewellery export exhibitions were being organised to promote the business and market the Pakistani gems in the world.

“We have planned to organise a four-day International Gems and Jewellery Exhibition from April 13 to 16 in Lahore,” he said, adding that through this expo the local traders would be able to enhance the gems and jewellery export and develop linkages with the buyers globally.

He said that delegates from over 12 countries, including India, China, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, UAE, Spain, and Thailand, would participate in the exhibition. He said the company had been making efforts to market the gems of Fata, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Balistan through such exhibitions.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2017