CEO
Joint Secretary (A&F), Ministry of Industries & Production
HEAD OFFICE
Suite No: 115-118, 1st Floor,
Progressive Plaza, Beaumont Road,
Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: (+92)-21-35631395-7
Email: info@pgjdc.org
INTRODUCTION:
Despite its abundant reserves of precious and semi-precious gemstones and rich history of jewellery manufacturing, Pakistan has been unable to develop an internationally competitive gems and jewellery industry. Capitalizing on its vast natural resources, low labor costs, skilled craftsmen, and growing national and international demand, Pakistan has the potential to become a regional hub for precious stone cutting and jewellery manufacturing.
Keeping in view the above facts, the Pakistan Initiative for Strategic Development and Competitiveness (PISDAC) Project was launched by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The project was implemented by J.E. Austin, a US management consultancy company in partnership with Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (SMEDA) of Pakistan. As part of the initiative, a group of committed industry stakeholders from gems trading and mining, jewellery manufacturing, jewellery retail and wholesale, training institutions, technical service providers, raw material suppliers and other allied industries agreed to form a Strategic Working Group (SWOG) to address how the industry could reposition itself through a better strategy. Within 16 months from its inception, the SWOG had developed a strategy shared and agreed to by the private sector and the Government of Pakistan.
The SWOG itself has become a recognized private sector platform on which all key players in the value chain including the public sector have come together. One of the major features of the strategy put forth was the formation of a separate company for this sector which would undertake to implement the strategies spelled out for the sector. In the light of this recommendation, Government of Pakistan formed Pakistan Gems & Jewellery Development Company (PGJDC) in June 2006 as a non-profit public/private entity for the development of the Sector. The company became operational in April 2007.
OBJECTIVES:
The main objectives of PGJDC are to ensure the implementation of the Strategy formulated by SWOG, SMEDA with USAID for general uplift of the industry and increasing the competitiveness of Gems & Jewellery Sector of Pakistan.
ACHIEVEMENTS:
Conducted 887 training programs and trained 12,431 students in Mining Techniques, Gem Cutting and Gem Faceting, Gem Identification, Jewellery Designing.- 18 faculty members were trained as Master Trainers in the fields of Gemology, Gems Processing, Jewellery Designing and Jewellery Manufacturing whereas 2 professionals of Assaying and Hallmarking centres of PGJDC received training from Goldsmiths Company Assay Office London.
- Facilitated 339 Private Sector gems and jewellery companies’ participation in 30 international Shows under the brand name “Gems and Jewellery Pakistan” in Thailand, Hong Kong, Germany, India, Turkey, USA and Dubai, culminating into access to the international market with short to long term business deals.
- Facilitated 154 Gems and Jewellery Enterprises by organizing two International Gems and Jewellery Exhibitions at Karachi and Lahore to introduce Pakistani Gems and Jewellery products to local and international buyers.
- Facilitated 1,510 gemstone traders/companies by organizing 37 Gem Exhibitions in major cities of Pakistan.
- Developed Pakistan’s First Gems and Jewellery E-Commerce Portal for projection of Pakistani products in International markets.
- Introduced CAD/CAM (Rapid Prototype Machine) facility and training for the first time in Pakistan to revolutionize jewellery designing and manufacturing by reducing production time and improve quality of finished products.
FUTURE PROSPECTS/PLANS:
- As the Company has been declared as an autonomous body of MoIP, upgrading it to Pakistan Gems and Jewellery Development Authority for development, regulation and standardization of Gems and Jewellery Industry of Pakistan.
- Promulgation of Assaying and Hallmarking Council Act through enactment from Parliament in order to enforce Assaying and Hallmarking Regime in the Country.
- Approval of new PC-1 amounting to Rs. 997.01 Million for establishment of Quality Assurance and Certification Labs and Promotion of Pakistani Gems and Jewellery through E-Commerce.
- PGJDC is in the process of collaborating with Provincial Governments/TEVTAs for reviving operations of its training centers across the Country. Collaboration with KP-TEVTA for Peshawar training center has been done, whereas discussions are underway with other provincial Governments/TEVTAs for collaboration regarding training centers situated in other provinces.
- As per the directives of Federal Cabinet vide case No. 111/2/38/2021 dated 23-11-2021, the establishment of Pakistan Gems and Jewellery Development Authority (PGJDA) is in process.
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