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‘50% gemstones lost to outdated mining’ | The Express Tribune

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‘50% gemstones lost to outdated mining’ | The Express Tribune



ISLAMABAD:

A meeting of the Prime Minister’s Committee on Gemstone Policy on Friday flagged major structural gaps in Pakistan’s gemstone sector, including massive losses during extraction, undocumented trade, and negligible value addition.

During the briefing, chaired by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Haroon Akhtar Khan, officials revealed that Pakistan’s actual gemstone exports remain largely undocumented but are set to be formally registered. The Committee noted that nearly half of the country’s gemstone output is wasted due to outdated mining practices and obsolete technology.

It further observed that 30-40% of precious stones are lost because of non-scientific blasting and drilling methods. Members also raised concerns that most gemstones are exported in raw form, without any value addition, significantly limiting the country’s export earnings.

The Committee highlighted the sector’s continued stagnation due to minimal international cooperation and investment. The SAPM said modern mining technologies could sharply improve both production and export volumes. He added that comprehensive value addition could multiply export figures, noting that Pakistan holds an undocumented gemstone export potential of $2 billion.



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Limited flights leave UAE while disruption continues amid Iran strikes

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Limited flights leave UAE while disruption continues amid Iran strikes


From the UK, flights have also been cancelled for many Middle East destinations, including all flights to Israel and Bahrain, three-quarters of the day’s scheduled flights to the United Arab Emirates, and more than two-thirds (69%) of flights to Qatar.



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IIP sees 4.8% YoY growth in January; manufacturing & electricity support rise – The Times of India

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IIP sees 4.8% YoY growth in January; manufacturing & electricity support rise – The Times of India


For January 2026, the sector-specific indices stood at 157.2 for mining, 167.2 for manufacturing and 212.1 for electricity. (AI image)

India’s Index of Industrial Production saw a 4.8% increase year-on-year in January 2026, according to the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation. The rise in industrial output was largely driven by a 4.8 per cent expansion in manufacturing and a 5.1 per cent improvement in electricity generation. Mining activity also supported overall growth, registering a 4.3 per cent uptick during the month.Estimates placed IIP at 169.4 for January 2026, compared with 161.6 in January 2025. This follows a stronger reading in December 2025, when industrial production had grown by 7.8 per cent. For January 2026, the sector-specific indices stood at 157.2 for mining, 167.2 for manufacturing and 212.1 for electricity.Within manufacturing, 14 of the 23 industry groups at the NIC two-digit level posted year-on-year gains in January. The strongest contributors were manufacture of basic metals, which rose 13.2 per cent; manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers, up 10.9 per cent; and manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products, which increased 9.9 per cent. Growth in basic metals was supported by items such as flat products of alloy steel, MS slabs, and hot-rolled coils and sheets of mild steel.The automobile category advanced on the back of higher output of auto components and spare parts, commercial vehicles, and bus and minibus bodies or chassis. In the non-metallic mineral products segment, cement of all types, cement clinkers and stone chips were key contributors.According to use-based classification, output of primary goods grew 3.1 per cent, capital goods rose 4.3 per cent and intermediate goods increased 6 per cent compared with January 2025. Infrastructure and construction goods recorded the sharpest rise at 13.7 per cent, while consumer durables expanded 6.3 per cent. In contrast, consumer non-durables declined by 2.7 per cent. The ministry identified infrastructure and construction goods, intermediate goods and primary goods as the leading drivers of growth under this classification.



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Will petrol and diesel prices go up now?

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Will petrol and diesel prices go up now?


There might also be a more direct impact on food. “Some elements of crude oil are used in fertiliser, and so there could be a cost implication in terms of food prices,” Benjamin Goodwin, partner at banking advisory firm PRISM Strategic Intelligence told the BBC.



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