KARACHI, March (APP): The Senate Standing Committee on Commerce, Monday, stressed on gearing up efforts, taking well planned collaborative measures and consultation with stakeholders to ensure sustainable growth in exports for economic stability of the country.
The Chairperson of the committee, Senator Anusha Rehman, presided over the meeting attended by Senators Sarmad Ali, Amir Waliuddin Chishti and Hamid Khan while Federal Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan participated online. 
Chief Executive Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Faiz Ahmed, Secretary TDAP Sheryar Taj, Special Secretary Commerce Shakeel Mangnejo and other senior officers of Ministry of Commerce, TDAP, Trade and Investment Officers, as well as representatives of Pharma industry, REAP and PaSHA also participated.
The Committee reviewed a wide range of trade-related issues and discussed means and ways to enhance the export from the country and noted that export enhancement is vital for economic stability.
The chairperson of the committee Senator Anusha Rehamn said that the Prime Minister is determined to enhance the export from the country on a sustainable basis and all the relevant ministries and organizations need to work in cohesion and gear up their efforts to achieve the export enhancement targets.
She said that the Senate Standing Committees on Commerce and Finance will convene a joint meeting in the next month to discuss the challenges and way forward for enhancing export of the country.
The Committee recommended to arrange business to business meetings of visiting delegations with local manufacturers and exporters and to take on board those companies and enterprises who are not members of relevant trade bodies and associations to expand the trade potential of the country.
The chairperson of the committee noted that Japan has the issue of an aging population that creates enormous opportunities for young skilled professionals belonging to Pakistan there. She suggested reviewing the potential of human resource export to Japan and taking appropriate measures for realizing that potential.
The CE TDAP briefed the committee on compliance status concerning the recommendations made by the Committee in its previous meetings and informed that TDAP facilitated local manufactures’ participation in different exhibitions around the world while various exhibitions have been planned to boost export of mineral, clothing and textile, pharmaceutical and other export items to South East Asia, Africa, Middle East and other regions.
The committee was informed that exports from Pakistan had witnessed significant growth in the last three years while export enhancement studies and annual business plans have been prepared for increasing the export of various sectors including agriculture and food, minerals, textile, footwear, Pharmaceutical, tourism, Information Technology in consultation with the relevant stakeholders.
The committee was also briefed on development, prospects and challenges as to barter trade and relevant officials informed the committee that discussions were ongoing at technical level committees of Pakistan and Iran.
The Senate Standing Committee also reviewed ongoing trade challenges and measures for improving Pakistan’s trade relations and export performance.
The Trade and Investment Officers (TIOs) posted in the Netherlands, South Korea, Japan and Poland delivered detailed briefings on core functions, roles, and achievements of the respective offices; main imports of the host countries, including imports from Pakistan; current and future trade potential of Pakistan’s exports; assistance provided to Pakistani companies in the regulatory registration process in the host countries and efforts made to enhance exports of minerals, APIs, furniture, and software from Pakistan to the respective countries.
