The Punjab Minister said the efforts are afoot for the development of mines and minerals sector of Punjab and special attention is being given towards technological advancement. The old techniques are being replaced with the new ones, he said, adding the mining sector is being developed in consultation with stakeholders as its efficiency is need of the hour. He said that the memorandum between the Lahore Chamber and PASDEC should be translated into agreement.
LCCI acting President Muhammad Nasir Hameed Khan said that despite having huge deposits, country's exports of marble and marble products are not up to the mark. The government should remove the constraints faced by the marble and stone industry to ensure sharp increase in its exports. The major obstacles hindering the growth of mining industry are dearth of value addition, outdated quarrying techniques, latest technology and lack of infrastructures etc that must be focused by the concerned authorities, he said. The MoU will certainly help flourishing this important industry, he added.
PASDEC's chief executive officer said that collaboration between the two organizations would help developing marble and granite sector of Punjab. Pakistan Stone Development Company develops marble and granite sector through implementation of modern quarrying methods and will provide all necessary technical support in planning, development and execution of mechanized quarries, processing facilities and skill development. He said that PASDEC would provide complete sources with technical assistance, if the investors/business community is prepared to come forward on production side for boosting the exports of marble and granite.
Convener LCCI Standing Committee on Marble said that Pakistan is blessed with finest quality marble but lack of modern technologies for cutting, finishing and grading is coming in the way. Italy has the best technologies for promotion of marble sector while Italian businessmen are also keen to start joint ventures with their Pakistani counterparts that would also help transferring technology, he said. These measures can help value addition of marble that would help earning precious foreign exchange, he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017