ISLAMABAD, Jan 24: Minister for Industries, Production and Special Initiatives Jahangir Khan Tareen said on Wednesday that the government planned to enhance the export of marble and granite to $500 million in the next five years.

He stated this after inaugurating the newly established office of Pakistan Stone Development Company (Pasdec) here at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry building.

Secretary Industries Shahab Khawaja, Chairman Pasdec Ehsanullah Khan and Ms Amy Meyers, director of economic growth office of USAID and members of the business community were also present on the occasion.

He said that government was taking special steps for the promotion of stone industry and an amount of Rs2 billion had been allocated for development of industrial parks for stone mining and marble and granite cities. Another Rs2 billion would be spent on the development of infrastructure in the sector.

He appreciated USAID for its assistance in the development of this sector.

The minister said that Pakistan was rich in marble and granite resources and these were available in remotest areas of the NWFP, Fata, rural Sindh and Balochistan.

He added that the government was striving hard to explore these resources for the benefit of the people living in these areas by creating employment opportunities.

This, he said, would not only help ameliorate the lots of the common man in these remote areas of the country but would also enhance export of marble and granite for the economic development of the country.

Tareen asked the business community to come forward and take maximum advantage from government's initiatives being made for the development of the stone sector.

He regretted that in the past marble and granite sector was not truly exploited adding that the present government is focusing on the development of this sector.

He said that by introducing latest technology in marble and granite mining, “we can get rid of the traditional mining method of blasting and could save these precious stones from going waste and causing financial losses,” he added. Wastage in mining of stones in the country is the highest in the world, he added.

He expressed the hope that the strategy being devised by Pasdec would help promote the sector and prevent the wastages.

Ms Amy Meyers of USAID in her remarks appreciated the efforts of the government for the development of stone mining sector in the country.

She stressed the need for public-private sector partnership for the development of the sector.

Chairman Pasdec Ehsanullah Khan said that during the first five months of current financial year the exports of marble and granite to USA has increased to 100 per cent.

Later an MoU was signed between National Industrial Parks Development Authority and Pasdec. —APP