Pakistani Leaders Back Stone Industry Growth

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan – This country’s top government leaders – President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz – made it a point here on June 24 to commit Pakistan to developing marble and granite reserves and provide economic stimulation to underdeveloped areas.
The Associated Press of Pakistan reported that, at a meeting on developing those reserves, Musharraf said the government would encourage exploitation of these resources for the benefit of the local people.
Pakistan’s annual exports of marble and granite stand at $21 million.
Musharraf noted that development of these resources would not only add to the volume of annual exports, but also help people economically at the grass-roots level as they acquired skills for better jobs in the marble industry.
Aziz said that the government “is resolved to bringing the people of far-flung areas” into the mainstream of economic development.
“The government has set up Pakistan Stone Development Company as an affiliate of Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), which has been tasked to establish five marble cities and warehouses, and to train the local people for proper utilization of these reserves,” Aziz added.
Jahangir Khan Tareen, minister for industries and special initiatives, said the Pakistani federal government and the provinces would collaborate to ensure ownership of the projects at local level.