By Asad Cheema
ISLAMABAD: President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) Muhammad Shakeel Munir has called upon the government to focus onm marble industry for its better growth as this sector has the potential to transform Pakistan into a fast growing economy.
He said that Pakistan has huge reserves of marble and granite in all regions mof the country and the government should cooperate in introducing mechanized mining in this sector by reducing duties on import of marble machinery and technology.
These views were expressed by him while talking to Amin Noorani and Nasir
Ahmed, Dubai-based prominent businessmen of the marble sector during their
visit to ICCI on Monday. Saleem Mughal, former Chairman, All Pakistan Marble
Industry Association was also present at the occasion.
Muhammad Shakeel Munir said that many countries including China, Italy,
Turkey, Spain and Brazil have exploited their marble reserves effectively
for economic development, but in Pakistan this sector has not been given due
attention despite its tremendous potential to promote exports and improve
the economy.
He said that outdated technology was still in use in the quarrying and
processing of marble products due to which the ratio of wastage was quite
high. He urged that the government should cooperate in introducing the
latest machinery in the marble sector for promoting mechanized mining in
order to produce valued-added marble & granite products and increase
exports.
The ICCI President stressed that the government should address all key
issues of the marble sector to unleash its real potential for economic
development of the country. He assured the delegation that ICCI would fully
cooperate with them for enhancing import of marble and granite products from
Pakistan for the UAE.
Speaking at the occasion, Amin Noorani and Nasir Ahmed, Dubai-based
prominent businessmen of the marble sector said that a lot of construction
projects were going on in Dubai and UAE, so Pakistan has great potential to
increase its exports of marble products by their value addition.
Saleem Mughal, former Chairman, All Pakistan Marble Industry Association,
said that the government’s support was needed for infrastructure
development, technological upgradation, access to finance, human resource
development and marketing to facilitate the better growth of the marble
sector. He said that the government should ensure low cost financing schemes
for the marble industry for its better development. He said that lack of
access roads to mines, connecting roads network, utilities and industrial
zones were the key factors behind low investment and poor growth of this
sector and stressed that the government should address these issues on
priority basis.
