Gems market in Pakistan has not been an industry in technical terms and it has a long way compete even within South Asia. That’s why people are reluctant to invest in this sector as a viable business opportunity. Due to increase in awareness about gems and minerals provided by NGOs like Rupani Foundation, people now started to pour into gems sector.

Mr. Zahoor got his early education from Karachi and did his intermediate from Gilgit. After getting one-year extensive training under auspices of Rupani Foundation “capabilities transformed and skills enhanced because I can see opportunities which otherwise were oblivious to me before the training” Zahoor opines.

Having scarce resources he initiated his own business: his aim was to develop a product that must also cater local customers along with exports. It is his view that “by creating a niche in the local market by making local customer oriented price friendly product we can easily expand the business”. He is optimistic about gems business as demand for their products is increasing day by day and is planning to export gems/jewellery products to Canada.

The dedication of Zahoor caught the eye of Rupani Foundation and they send him to Afghanistan for six months advanced training in gems cutting and polishing. While serving for Rupani foundation in 2012-2013 he opines “I learned a great deal of marketing strategies that equipped him with intricacies of the market”. Currently, he is running gems cutting and polishing business centre in Gilgit and ambitious to translate it to other areas of Gilgit-Baltistan.