Peshawar:The National Centre of Excellence in Geology (NCEG) Peshawar hosted the 1st Gemstones and Industrial Minerals Exhibition on Thursday, a landmark event that drew robust participation from across the public and private sectors, business community, academia, and the general public.
Held at the PUTA Hall, University of Peshawar, the exhibition provided rich geological diversity and untapped potential of Pakistan’s gemstones and industrial minerals. The vibrant displays reflected the depth of the country’s natural resources and the promising future of its gem and mineral sector.
The event was formally inaugurated by the Honourable Minister for Science and Technology and Information Technology, Mr. Shafqat Ayaz, who commended NCEG and the organizing team for executing such a successful event on short notice. In his keynote remarks, Mr. Ayaz noted the importance of government-industry-academia collaboration in advancing the sector and announced that a stakeholder meeting will soon be convened, where the government, business representatives, and NCEG will work together to address the challenges facing the gemstone and mineral sector.
Prof. Dr. Liaqat Ali, Director of NCEG and chief organizer of the exhibition, delivered the opening address, highlighting Pakistan’s immense gemstone potential, the role of NCEG in research and development, and the critical need for stronger public-private partnerships to boost exports and competitiveness.
Also addressing the gathering was the Chairman of the All Pakistan Commercial Exporters Association (APCEA), Mr. Iftikhar Ahmad, who underscored the hurdles faced by gemstone exporters while acknowledging the cutting-edge gemological facilities and contributions of NCEG to the sector.
The exhibition was co-organized by Dr. Saad Khan and Mr. Shakir Ullah, with Mr. Faheem Ahmad serving as Secretary of the event. The initiative was sponsored by the Directorate General of Science and Technology (DoST), Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The exhibition offered a dynamic platform for networking, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration among key stakeholders. It marked a significant step toward strengthening university-industry-government linkages, with a focus on value-added gemstone and mineral exports to bolster Pakistan’s economy. In the end vote of thanks was presented by renowned scholar Dr Qasim Jan.
