Pakistan Gemstones Policy Moves Forward After Strategic Meeting

The government has advanced work on the Pakistan gemstones policy as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan met top gemstones exporter Barneby Plowright in Islamabad to review proposals for the upcoming framework.

During the meeting, both sides explored ways to strengthen the gemstone sector through policy reforms, better documentation, and global cooperation. The Special Assistant also toured Barneby’s gemstone facility, where he observed the full process of diamond polishing, grading, and packaging.

Haroon Akhtar Khan said that on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a national gemstones policy is being drafted to support exporters and manufacturers. He noted that the new policy seeks to grant exporters industry status, helping regulate a sector where an estimated $2 billion in trade remains undocumented.

He added that the planned framework aims to shift the gemstone industry into the formal economy, enabling Pakistan to generate significant revenue. The policy will be completed within one month, taking guidance from global best practices and successful models adopted worldwide.

Highlighting Pakistan’s considerable mineral wealth, the Special Assistant said the country is blessed with some of the finest gemstones in the world. He commended Barnaby Plowright and his team for their technical skills, innovation, and continued contribution to gemstone processing in Pakistan.