slug: kp-gem-jewellery-trade-regulation-kpgja-advisory-council
category: Business
focus keyphrase: KP gem jewellery trade regulation
seo title: KP Gem Jewellery Trade Regulation Gets Advisory Backing
meta description: The KP gem jewellery trade regulation drive: the KP Advisory Council backs KPGJA plans to formalise gems trade, add value and join German exhibition.
tags: KP gems, jewellery trade, KPGJA, gemstone exports, National Gemstone Policy, value addition, KP BOIT, Germany exhibition
original element: explainer context — National Gemstone Policy 2026–2030 background (ECC-approved, $500m export target, 95%+ informal) + internal link to our Oct 14 gemstone-sector post
KP Gem Jewellery Trade Regulation Gets Advisory Backing
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has pledged support for formalising the province’s informal gems trade, promoting value addition, and removing business barriers so that local gemstones and jewellery can compete in international markets.
Dr Muhammad Irshad, a member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Advisory Council for Industries, Commerce and Technical Education, gave the assurance during a meeting with a delegation of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Gems and Jewellery Association (KPGJA), led by its president, Muhammad Salman Niazi. Officials from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade (KP BOIT) also attended.
What the Advisory Council promised
The meeting focused on bringing the informal gems and jewellery trade into the documented economy to increase foreign exchange earnings and lift exports in line with international standards.
Irshad said the government, working with KP BOIT, would facilitate businesses, encourage value addition, and address trade barriers to improve the competitiveness of local products in international markets.
The $500m target behind the push
The KP move comes months after the federal government approved the National Gemstone Policy 2026-2030 through the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC). The policy aims to formalise the sector and lift annual gemstone exports from $5-7 million to around $500 million by 2030, according to Bloom Pakistan.
Ministry of Industries and Production data cited in the policy documents put Pakistan’s precious and semi-precious gemstone reserves above $450 billion. Despite that, official exports account for barely $5-7 million a year, around 0.3 per cent of global trade. More than 95 per cent of the country’s gemstone trade takes place through informal channels, the ministry said, blaming fragmented regulation, weak certification and valuation systems, high mining losses, limited access to finance, and foreign exchange leakages.
To fix this, the federal plan proposes a National Gemstone Authority, a business registry, certification and traceability systems, and a National Warranty Office to certify export consignments. Business Recorder reports that a steering committee led by the industries minister will oversee implementation.
The direction matches the prime minister’s Brand Pakistan gemstone strategy, under which centres of excellence for the gemstone sector were ordered earlier this month. The KP assurance is a concrete provincial step toward aligning the province’s trade with that national framework.
Germany exhibition on the cards
Niazi said a KPGJA delegation would visit Germany for an international exhibition of KP gemstones and traditional jewellery, with three members already there to arrange participation.
The exhibition gives KP traders a direct window to foreign buyers, the kind of market access that formalisation is meant to support.
The meeting fits a wider push to raise exports, which the government has tied to the government’s export-led growth push. Gems need almost no imported inputs, which makes every export dollar earned from them a net gain for the trade balance.
What formalisation would change for traders
For KP’s gemstone dealers, registration would open access to financing, machinery support, and international exhibitions, while certification would let traders command better prices abroad.
Diversifying Pakistan’s major export sectors would ease concerns over subdued exports. A documented gemstone trade worth even a fraction of the $500 million target would add a high-value line to that basket.
Frequently asked questions
What is the National Gemstone Policy 2026-2030?
The federal policy approved by the ECC to formalise the sector. It targets annual exports of around $500 million by 2030 and introduces certification and traceability for export consignments.
How big is Pakistan’s gemstone trade today?
Official exports are only $5-7 million a year, about 0.3 per cent of global trade, while more than 95 per cent of the trade runs through informal channels.
What did the KP Advisory Council promise the jewellers?
Dr Muhammad Irshad assured the KPGJA delegation that the government, working with KP BOIT, would facilitate businesses, encourage value addition, and remove barriers so KP gemstones and jewellery can meet international standards.
Is a German exhibition part of the plan?
Yes. KPGJA president Muhammad Salman Niazi said a delegation would visit Germany for an international exhibition of KP gemstones and traditional jewellery, with three members already there to make arrangements.
_Source: ProPakistani_
