Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim asserted on Friday that value addition to gems and jewellery items will increase their demand and value in the international market. “The establishment of Dazzle Park would play an important role in achieving this goal,” he said while speaking at the signing ceremony of lease deed of Dazzle Park project between Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Chief Executive, TDAP, Abid Javed Akbar, president FPCCI, Haji Fazal Kadir Shirani, president KCCI, Haroon Agar, were also present on the occasion. He pointed out that Dazzle Park would serve as a focal point for the development of gems and jewellery sector and improve certification mechanism. “All the quality inspections of gems and jewellery items would be done at this park according to international standards,” he added. He said that Pakistan has a large number of unskilled youth who can be made useful by providing training in various trades including gems and jewellery sector. The minister insisted that government has accorded priority to gems and jewellery sector in trade policy to fully capitalise its potential.
He noted that the project was being established near the airport to facilitate foreign buyers to directly go to the park from the airport and give export orders and return home without entering into city premises. Referring to country’s exports, he said that export target of $25 billion was achieved despite global economic meltdown.
Senior Minister said that the government was completing its constitutional term of five years and this will augur well for the democracy and the next government. Director General CAA Air Marshal Khalid Chaudhry (rtd) said that the land has been provided for the project within the premises of Karachi Airport on the request of Gems and Jewellery Association.
It was stated that Pakistani exports of gems and jewellery have touched $1 billion mark during the year 2011-12 and there were huge potential to increase the exports of Pakistan through development of clusters or parks, as it is being done in the region. Dazzle Park has been designed not only to be an exclusive safe and bounded zone for conducting multi product and multi-dimensional activities of trading, commercial, services & manufacturing of coloured gems, diamonds, gold and fashion Jewellery and but also dealing with fashion industry and high value products.
It is anticipated that this project will bring about latest techniques and research and development in metals, stones and gems and jewellery industry which would greatly benefit from the setting up of hallmarking and assaying and integrated value chain. The park would be developed at par with gems and jewellery projects successfully operating in the region like Gemopolis in Thailand, SurSez in India, Kuyumcukent in Turkey, Dubai Gold & Diamond Park and Shenzhen Shtanjiao free trade zone in China along with fully developed infrastructure with availability of industrial utilities.
