KARACHI: Mineral rich-Balochistan accounts for up to 90 per cent of Pakistan’s $20 million annual export of marble that is mainly being shipped from Karachi to nearly 52 countries worldwide. The country’s total monthly marble production is around 1.0 million tons and nearly 50 per cent of it comes from the largest province, while 450,000-525,000 tons of marble are being produced in the NWFP.

About 250,000-300,000 tons of marble arrive in Karachi from Balochistan daily.

There are only 60 small marble processing units in Balochistan out of total 1,095 units all over the country. To put things in perspective, there are 1,329 large- and medium-sized marble processing units in the country as a whole.

NWFP enjoys an edge in the number of processing units with a total of 979 units in which the share of Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) stands at 650 units as compared to 57 in Peshawar, 62 in Mardan, 150 in Buneer and Swat, 40 in GT Road Jhanangiria and 20 in Hattar/Haripur/Abbotabad.

In Rawalpindi and Islamabad zones there are 150 units while in Lahore zone 535 small units exist. Karachi has 600 small, medium and large units. Balochistan has over 60 per cent beige colour marble deposits, that are being exported.

It is hard to reveal the actual number of persons employed in the marble industry but a rough estimate indicates that one mine creates job for around 40 labourers. Chairman All Pakistan Marble Industries Association (APMIA) Sanaullah Khan offers a mixed scenario of the marble industry and its problems.

He told Dawn that people associated with the marble industry were facing problems in Balochistan in lease transfer of the mine as mountains in the province were considered government property. “The government offers lease of mine when a Sardar or a local Baloch native becomes the partner with the investor or businessmen. However, the situation is quite reverse in Sindh and NWFP.”

He said Balochistan or even other marble producing provinces were not short of mineral resources but lacked technical facilities and the government was not supporting the industry. “The government is still unaware of facts like shortage of water supply and lack of sewerage system, electricity infrastructure, improper road network, telecom system and law and order,” he said.

Mr Sanaullah said that the marble industry was also losing business due to undeveloped and unsecured marble quarries situated in the province. “Marble industry is directly dependent on the marble quarries”, he added.

He says that the security issues should be dealt properly and there is a need for proper road networks, sufficient power supply, equipment facilities and lease transference issues.

Balochistan is also a major producer of granite and onyx raw material. “There is a need for proper assessment of their deposits, security to the investors and technology upgradation through public and private sectors interventions,” he said.

Of late, the marble industry has caught the attention of foreign investors especially Chinese, Italian and American and even organizations like the World Bank, USAID etc., are taking interest as how to resolve the problems of this potential industry in Pakistan.

The World Bank is also preparing a detailed report on this sector which it will present to the government shortly, taking a broader view of the problems and suggesting steps for its future development.—ASK