Description
In 1979, the Gemstones Corporation of Pakistan was established to develop the gemstone industry in Pakistan, but the company was liquidated in 1997. Several organizations now operate in this sector, including the All Pakistan Commercial Exporters Association of Rough & Unpolished Precious and Semi-Precious Stones (APCEA) and the Pakistan Gems and Jewellery Development Company (PGJDC). The Pakistan Gems and Mineral Show has been held annually in Peshawar since 1994, but has not attracted much attention from potential international buyers. The southern port city of Karachi was once the largest market for faceted and rough-cut gemstones in Pakistan. However, after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the gemstone market shifted to Peshawar, which became the center of the gemstone trade. Due to the long and porous border with Afghanistan, many gemstones from Afghanistan are now also found in Pakistan, and since 1979, Peshawar has been the only direct market for all gemstones found in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Pakistan Gems and Jewellery Development Company regularly holds Gem Bazaars (exhibitions) in Quetta and Peshawar, where gemstones certified by the Gemstone Identification Laboratory are traded. Three such exhibitions have been held in Islamabad so far. In January 2012, approximately two hundred companies from Pakistan exhibited their products. The third Islamabad Gem Exhibition was held in February 2013, where 80 national gemstone dealers displayed their products.
