LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Mines and Minerals Chaudhary Sher Ali Khan, has said that the efforts are afoot for the development of mines and minerals sector of Punjab, adding that special attention is being given to technological advancement to replace old techniques with new ones. He said that the mining sector is being developed in consultation with stakeholders to improve its efficiency.
He expressed these views while presiding over a function, held in connection with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Pakistan Stone Development Company (PASDEC) on Monday, to ensure the growth of marble & stone industry on a sustainable basis.
PASDEC CEO Zahid Maqsood Sheikh and the LCCI Acting President Nasir Hameed Khan inked the MoU in the presence of Provincial Minister for Mines & Minerals Chaudhry Khadam Hussain. Mines & Minerals Secretary Muhammad Arshad, Executive Committee member Zeeshan Khalil and Mehboob Sirki also spoke on the occasion.
The provincial minister said that the MOU between LCCI and PASDEC should be translated into an agreement. The LCCI Acting President Nasir Hameed said that Pakistan is one of the top mineral extractors of marble and granite in the world. He said that despite having huge deposits, country’s exports of marble and marble products are not up to the mark. He said that the government should remove the constraints faced by the marble & stone industry to ensure the sharp increase in its exports. He said that the major obstacles hindering the growth of mining industry are a dearth of value addition, outdated quarrying techniques, latest technology and lack of infrastructures, which must be focused on by the concerned authorities. He said that the MoU between LCCI and PASDEC will certainly help to flourish this important industry.
CEO PASDEC Zahid Maqsood Sheikh said that the collaboration between the two organisations will help develop the marble and granite sector of Punjab. He said that PASDEC develops the marble and granite sector through the implementation of modern quarrying methods and will provide all necessary technical support in planning, development and execution of mechanised quarries, processing facilities and skill development. He said that PASDEC will provide complete sources with technical assistance if the business community is prepared to come forward on the production side for boosting the exports of marble and granite.