HARIPUR: Pakistan can tap its huge potential in gems and jewellery by employing the scientific approaches for production and promotion and checking the illegal trade. This was the gist of presentations made during the two-day PARTASH Jewellery Conference 2024, which concluded here on Wednesday. Pak-Austria Fachhochschule Institute of Science and Technology (PAF-IAST), Haripur, organised the event in collaboration with Higher Education Commission and other organisations. Various organisations and business entities dealing in gems and jewellery, art and design displayed their products at the exhibition. Two-day jewellery conference concludes in Haripur A stall exhibiting bead jewellery and decorative artifacts made by inmates of Haripur prison was the focus of attraction by visitors. Provincial minister for local governments Arshad Ayub Khan also attended the second day’s session. Members of academia, designers, entrepreneurs, metallurgists and gemologists were among those who attended the conference. Speaking to the participants, PAF-IAST Rector Dr Mujahid said the world’s gemstone and jewellery market stood at $206 billion till in 2023 and was projected to increase to $350 billion in 2024. “It’s a huge market where India is the biggest player having 24,000 tonnes of gold,” he said, adding Pakistan had a share of $1.3 billion in the world market, which was expected to rise to $1.6 billion by 2029 at 2.9 per cent growth rate. Dr Mujahid said despite being the eighth largest gemstone producer in the world, Pakistan’s exports were dismally low at only $8 million. He stressed the need for putting a check on illegal trade and employing the scientific approaches to get benefits of the untapped potential. Other speakers also emphasised the need for establishing institutions to boost Pakistan’s gemstone industry so that it could flourish. Sadaqat Khan, a representative of Human Development Organisation, in his presentation ‘art behind the bars’ highlighted the jewellery, decorative and religious artifacts made by jail inmates and the material used to improvise those items with available but meager resources. “HDO has introduced the skill of beads craft as a form of art therapy for helping inmates in mental healing, social integration and livelihoods earning during and post-detention period under the integrated programme of livelihoods and mental health,” he said. Imtiaz Rastgar, an entrepreneur, in his presentation said that the youth must play their role by planning to launch their startups in the field of gems and jewellery instead of looking towards government for jobs as the area was bestowed with huge market and profit earning potential. The conference also showcased a remarkable fusion of innovative trends, advanced materials and the jewellery making. Speakers also traced the history of jewellery in Buddhist, Indus and Islamic civilisations through their poster presentations. Dr Saadia Kamran Pasha, Zarina Gul, Rabia Chishti, Prof Shafiqur Rehman, Vice-Chancellor of Haripur University, and Prof Zafar Iqbal were prominent among those who spoke to the participants. Prof Iqbal, the chairperson of the event, promised another ‘exceptional’ exhibition next year.