PESHAWAR, Feb 1: All Pakistan Commercial Exporters Association president Asghar Khan has said establishment of the Gems and Gemmological Institute has increased export of precious stones manifold.

In a press statement issued here on Thursday, he disclosed that since its establishment in 2001, the institute had trained over 1,500 people in cutting precious stones.

The institute, he said, had gained good reputation on the international level and institutes in a number of countries, including Thailand, had affiliated with it.

He hoped that the gems institute would emerge as the biggest institute in cutting and export of precious stones in the world.

He said the institute would be upgraded and its branches would start functioning in Karachi, Lahore and Quetta soon.—APP