NA Body Recommends Focused Reforms to Boost Exports
ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - September 3, 2026) The National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce here on Thursday recommended urgent measures to revive Pakistan’s exports, improve industrial competitiveness, promote value addition, and diversify the export basket. Emphasizing that agreed policies must be translated into action without delay, the committee called for a coordinated effort by relevant ministries and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
The committee, chaired by Muhammad Jawed Hanif Khan, reviewed the rice sector, noting an encouraging rise in rice exports from US$321 million to US$394 million as of August 30, 2026. It stressed that such gains should be converted into a broader and sustained export strategy through research, improved seed varieties, value addition, and greater competitiveness.
However, the committee expressed concern over the reported decline in overall exports to US$30.8 billion from US$32.1 billion the previous year. Members questioned whether adequate counter-measures were taken to protect Pakistan’s market share against subsidized competition from regional economies. The Commerce Ministry attributed a major part of the decline to regional trade factors.
Key points discussed include:
- Stronger trade promotion and facilitation mechanisms
- Improved institutional coordination
- Digital transformation and trade facilitation initiatives by the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP)
- Clarification on sugar import policies and their disposal
- Simultananeous improvements in quality, accreditation, pricing, production volumes, and industrial competitiveness
- Addressing bottlenecks affecting export-oriented industries
- Policy guidelines supporting industrial development, value addition, and export diversification
- Identifying high-potential products and sectors for focused government intervention
The committee also considered the Trade Organizations (Third Amendment) Bill, a private member’s bill moved by Muhammad Farooq Sattar. While expressing agreement with the proposed amendments, it referred the bill to the Ministries of Commerce and Law and Justice for legal opinion and assessment of implications before taking a final decision.