Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved the establishment of a Trade Facilitation Board and will serve as its chairman, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The decision was taken during a meeting in Islamabad focused on measures to improve trade facilitation.
According to the PMO, the proposed board will make decisions on non-tariff issues related to cross-border trade and work to improve supply chains. It will also develop a roadmap for promoting trade, formulate strategies related to the Trade Facilitation Index and oversee their implementation.
The prime minister directed authorities to undertake work on an emergency basis to enhance the capacity of the country’s ports. Working groups will also be established to improve port capacity and coordination among relevant departments.
The groups will focus on ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, facilitating pre-arrival clearance of goods and increasing the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises in international trade.
Shehbaz also directed the authorities to introduce measures aimed at facilitating importers and exporters at ports, including simplifying and expediting the clearance process.
The meeting was informed that port utilisation had improved significantly following a reduction in port charges under the government’s ongoing reform measures.
Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Khan Cheema, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Maritime Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Industry Haroon Akhtar, Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani and senior government officials attended the meeting.
