Islamabad: The Rejection of proposal all Pakistan Marble Industry Association (APMIA) has whipped the new Strategic Trade Policy Framework (STPF), said the government has failed in addressing the problems of marble industry that already badly strike by the turbulence in the NWFP. The APMIA executive body, which met here on Tuesday with its President Farrukh Majeed, reviewed the declaration made in the trade policy. The NWFP government had banned blasting for mining, reason being operation against militancy, and the industry was facing difficulty in getting the raw material he pointed out. In addition, all the marble cutting and polishing units in NWFP closed due to on-going military operation. Mr. Farrukh added the marble industry had to buy raw material from Lesbela, Loralai, Karachi, Mainwali and Kalabagh, which had doubled the freight charges. He said in spite of the difficulties, marble export had increased by 40 % in 2008-09. Further adding that during 2007-08 the country earned 25 million dollars, which had increased up to 40 million dollars in 2008-09. He said the United States, Italy, Middle East, China, Malaysia and Russia were the potential export markets. The Ministry of Commerce to smooth the progress of marble sector in investment demonstration in potential markets globally, and added the involvement had also asked the government to give marble industry representation in trade delegations. Main Abdul Sami Former Chairman of the association pointed out that due to growing unrest in country; worldwide buyers were reluctant to visit Pakistan to place orders. Therefore, the exhibitions and trade delegations were necessary to detained export orders. Sami criticized the role of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP). He said that in its place of helping exporters, the authority had banned holding of industrial exhibitions. It also gave negative signals to the potential buyers. The association also demanded industry status for the mining sector, the APMIA President said, adding that the investors could not invest in mining sector with modern drilling and blasting technologies and banks did provide loans because the sector did not have status of industry. Former Chairman of the association Abdul Muneeb said that the country did not have modern heavy transportation for marble industry and normal trucks were being use, which additional to the cost of business.