The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has approved Pakistan’s first comprehensive five-year gemstone policy aimed at developing the country’s vast untapped mineral resources and boosting exports through modern mining and value-added processing.
The newly approved “National Policy to Realize Pakistan’s Gemstone Potential 2026–2030” is designed to formalize the gemstone sector, introduce modern mining practices, improve international competitiveness, and create economic opportunities in mineral-rich regions across the country.
Pakistan Aims to Tap Billions in Gemstone Reserves
Pakistan possesses significant reserves of precious and semi-precious stones, including emeralds, rubies, topaz, peridot, aquamarine, and other valuable minerals. Many of these reserves are located in regions such as Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
According to earlier government estimates, Pakistan’s gemstone reserves are valued at nearly $450 billion, but the country has struggled to fully capitalize on this potential due to outdated mining techniques, lack of formal regulation, weak international marketing, and illegal trade channels.
The new gemstone policy aims to address these issues by improving transparency, encouraging investment, and promoting legal exports.
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Focus on Modern Mining and Value Addition
A key objective of the policy is to shift Pakistan’s gemstone industry from raw material exports toward value-added processing. Authorities plan to encourage modern cutting, polishing, certification, and packaging facilities that can significantly increase the international market value of Pakistani gemstones.
The policy also seeks to modernize mining operations and align the sector with international standards to improve export competitiveness and attract global buyers.
Industry experts believe that better processing infrastructure and formalized trade systems could help Pakistan generate substantially higher export revenues from gemstones in the coming years.
Economic Opportunities for Remote Regions
The gemstone sector holds strong economic potential for remote mountainous regions where mining activities already exist informally. The government expects the policy to support regional development, create employment opportunities, and improve local business ecosystems in mineral-rich areas.
By formalizing mining operations and improving supply chains, authorities aim to reduce smuggling and bring more economic activity into documented channels.
Government Pushes Mineral Sector Reforms
The ECC approval reflects Pakistan’s broader effort to diversify exports and strengthen underutilized sectors of the economy. Officials believe the gemstone industry can become an important contributor to foreign exchange earnings if supported through modern regulations, investment, and international market integration.
The policy approval comes as global demand for precious stones and critical minerals continues to grow, creating new opportunities for resource-rich countries to strengthen exports and industrial development.
Pakistan’s Gemstone Industry Faces Key Challenges
Despite its massive mineral wealth, Pakistan’s gemstone sector still faces several structural challenges, including outdated extraction methods, limited technological infrastructure, lack of certified testing facilities, and restricted access to international markets.
The success of the new policy will largely depend on effective implementation, investment in modern mining technologies, workforce training, and stronger collaboration between federal and provincial authorities.
If implemented successfully, the gemstone policy could help Pakistan transform one of its most underdeveloped natural resource sectors into a major economic growth driver over the next decade.
