ISLAMABAD: After months of back-and-forth between the Commerce Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office, the government is now set to resume the export and import of jewellery, sources confirmed to Newzshewz.
“Finally, the Prime Minister’s Office has authorized the Commerce Ministry to resume trade in gold. A summary in this regard has been sent to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet,” sources said.
On August 8, 2025, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan had assured the All Pakistan Small Gems Jewellers & Tools Association (APSGJTA) that SRO 760 would soon be reinstated. He had expressed satisfaction with the arguments and proposals presented by industry stakeholders and exporters during the consultation process.
SRO 760(1) 2023, which governed the trade framework for gems and jewellery, had expired on July 8, 2025. Prior to that, the Federal Cabinet had suspended the SRO on May 2, 2025, and formed a committee to review it, identify loopholes, and suggest improvements within 60 days.
The committee held five meetings and conducted a detailed review of the SRO. Its final report, containing several recommendations, was submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office on July 4, 2025.
Subsequently, on July 28, 2025, the Prime Minister’s Office directed the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) to consult with private-sector stakeholders. These consultations were held on August 8, 2025, where jewellery exporters unanimously endorsed the committee’s recommendations.
Following this consensus, the Commerce Ministry submitted a note to the Prime Minister, recommending the reinstatement of SRO 760, stating that no discrepancies had been reported in trade data under the previous regime.
The issue was also discussed in the National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce, where Chairman Jawed Hanif Khan repeatedly urged the Commerce Ministry to resolve the matter at the earliest.
With the Prime Minister’s Office now on board, formal approval from the ECC is expected to pave the way for the revival of legal gold and jewellery trade.
