Pakistani delegation visits Sri Lanka to study gems and jewellery sector

Thursday, 10 April 2014 01:38 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A high-powered delegation of Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly members and officials led by Speaker Wazir Baig recently visited Sri Lanka on an exposure visit to study the gems and jewellery sector policy framework. The visit was aimed to help Gilgit-Baltistan to devise policies to support efforts to improve the livelihoods of small-scale gemstone miners in the area. It will further improve the capacities to replicate the success stories of best practices adopted by Sri Lanka in gemstone mining, cutting and polishing.

The visit was arranged by Government of Gilgit-Baltistan in collaboration with the Agha Khan Rural Support Program, Pakistan to study the Gems and Jewellery related policy framework as a “best practice” under the European Commission funded gems and jewellery value chain development initiative. Other members of the delegation included Jamil Ahmed, Deputy Speaker, GB Legislative Assembly, Muhammad Naseer Khan, Minister for Mines and Minerals, Chief Secretary, Government of Gilgit-Baltistan, Muhammad Younus Dagha, Mutabiat Shah, Member, GB Legislative Assembly, as well as officials and representatives of Rupani Foundation and AKRSP. The delegation also called on High Commission of Pakistan in Sri Lanka Maj. Gen. (R) Qasim Qureshi on 7 April at the High Commission of Pakistan in Colombo.

The High Commissioner briefed the delegation about the immense potential for collaboration between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the gems and jewellery sector. He urged the delegation to utilise this potential for greater investment and joint ventures between the two countries for expanded collaboration.