KARACHI, Feb 11: The World Bank is preparing a detailed report on the mineral reserves and the marble industry in Pakistan so that their potential could be exploited in an effective way.

The Bank is expected to present the report to the government by March end, and suggest ways and means to develop these industries and resolve their problems, said chairman All Pakistan Marble Industries Association (APMID), Sana Ullah Khan.

He said the association members had met the World Bank's delegation of Finance and Private Sector, Asia Region and a senior delegation member, Eric D. Manes last week and apprised them about the problems being faced by the marble industry.

APMID chairman said that the World Bank delegation would highlight the problems of the marble industry and ask the government to look into the potential of this sector.

He said that the delegation had agreed that the Pakistani marble industry had a great potential especially on the export front and chances of expanding export are bright.

He claimed that the World Bank Delegation had strongly urged the government to focus on development of potential and neglected sectors specially the marble industry instead of traditional sectors.

Sana said that despite great potential and availability of high quality marbles of international standards, the government had yet to realize its importance. The association would also meet the officials of the USAID next week to discuss the marble industry's potential in Pakistan and plans for its future development.

Around 200,000 tons of marble finds way into Karachi from Balochistan every month while a 10,000-16,000 tons come from Sindh area. A sizable quantity is also being produced in Frontier Province but figures are not available. He said arrival of marbles from Sindh and Balochistan has doubled in the last two years due to rising demand.

APMIA chief claimed that Pakistan also exports $20 million marble/granite/onyx to some 52 countries every year. Around 71 exporters are earning foreign exchange for the country in which 90 per cent are traders in which majority belongs to Karachi.

He said demand of marble is increasing world wide and also in Pakistan. He said that world wide natural stone production (raw marble) is estimated at 150 million tons gross per year. The total world's consumption of marble products is estimated at $40 billion every year.

Marble industry is going through a very hard time as it lacks technical facilities and the facilitation from the government. He said the industry faces problems like low availability of water and poor sewerage system, electricity infrastructure, improper road networks and no secure environment.

In a letter sent to federal industries and production minister, Jehangir Khan Tarin earlier this month, he said that marble quarries play an important role in the marble industry and marble industry is directly dependent upon the marble quarries.

"We are losing so much business due to undeveloped and unsecured marble quarries that are concentrated in Balochistan province," he said urging the ministry to provide proper road network, security, sufficient electricity, equipment, etc. He said that the marble industry's growth is slow because of government's negligence and it is still considered as a small and non-potential industry.