Gem exhibition: Discovering the treasures ‘beneath our feet’

Low prices at stalls attract local and foreign shoppers.

ISLAMABAD:

In Pakistan, bling is always in, and visitors to the gem exhibit at Islamabad Hotel on Saturday would certainly agree.

The event, organised by Pakistan Gems and Jewellery Development Company, was the second annual exhibit and aimed to provide a platform and exposure to Pakistani gemstones and mineral traders to improve their trade, and to promote their products before the international community, including embassies, consulates, and international organisations.

The event was inaugurated by Senator Semeen Siddiqi and Ministry of Production Secretary Gul Muhammad Rind. Traders and companies from Gilgit, Peshawar, Karachi, Lahore and elsewhere set up stalls to promote their product ranges.

The dazzling variety of precious and semiprecious stones covering every inch of the hall were a sight to see: rubies from Africa, tourmaline from Skardu, diamonds from India  and religious stones such as Sulemani Aqeeq from Iran were all glistening under spotlights as people browsed through the options available while moving from stall to stall. Staffers at each stall had put their best gems forward and were confident that they had the best jewellery in the hall.

“I can guarantee that even if you look at every stall here, you won’t find designs like mine,” stated Mohammad Zeeshan, a gemmologist and designer from Karachi.  Many diplomatic and foreign workers could be seen mingling at the event, as they tried to bargain with multiple jewellers, each with a “special” price to offer.

“I am fascinated by stones and am an avid collector. This is an opportunity I couldn’t miss!” said Sarah, an enthusiastic guest from Canada. The fact that the gems and jewellery were being sold at wholesale prices instead of market price actually added to buyers’ enthusiasm. “This is probably the only time I will consider buying sapphire stones,” stated a local resident.

Pakistan being blessed with vast natural resources of precious as well as semi precious stones in its mountains with international quality is an advantage that should be handled properly. Such an exhibition highlights the local resources available here, and as one trader from Skardu proudly stated, “I only deal with stones that can be found in our mountains. Why deal with any other stones when we have so much under our feet?”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd, 2012.