ISLAMABAD: Pakis­tan will soon introduce a National Marble Policy aimed at tapping the country’s vast marble reserves for local use and export promotion.

Chairing a high-level meeting of the marble sector on Thursday, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan sought proposals from stakeholders for joint ventures with countries such as Italy to upgrade the sector.

Mr Khan, who met representatives of the All Pakistan Marble Industry Association and the Pakistan Stone Development Company (PASDEC), assured participants that the government would address bottlenecks in marble exports, promote value addition, and extend incentives to the industry.

He announced that the marble sector would be granted industry status, noting its potential to strengthen Pakistan’s economy. The forthcoming National Marble Policy, he added, will focus on resolving existing challenges and promoting sustainable industrial growth.

“Pakistan has huge deposits of world-class marble, but we need value addition and better branding,” Mr Khan said. “The government is working closely with industrial stakeholders to introduce policy reforms that will enhance competitiveness and productivity.”

The SAPM emphasised that modern training and technical assistance would make the marble industry more efficient and globally competitive.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2025