Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday approved the establishment of a Trade Facilitation Board, which will be chaired by him personally, to streamline the country’s trade processes and address non-tariff barriers to cross-border commerce.
Chairing an important meeting on trade facilitation, the prime minister said the proposed board would take decisions aimed at improving the entire trade supply chain and resolving issues relating to cross-border trade.
The board will prepare a roadmap for promotion of trade, formulate a Trade Facilitation Index and devise a mechanism to monitor progress, the meeting was informed.
The prime minister directed that work be undertaken on an emergency basis to enhance the capacity of the country’s ports and ordered the establishment of various working groups for this purpose.
The working groups will focus on enhancing port capacity, improving coordination among relevant departments, ensuring compliance with the regulatory framework, facilitating pre-arrival clearance and promoting the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in international trade.
The prime minister also directed that transportation, clearance and other procedures for importers and exporters at ports be simplified, with maximum possible facilitation provided to the business community.
During the briefing, the meeting was informed that ongoing reforms had resulted in a reduction in port charges, leading to a significant improvement in port utilization.
It was further apprised that the facility for submission of Goods Declarations prior to the arrival of vessels was being continuously expanded, which would help expedite clearance procedures.
The meeting was attended by Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Industries Haroon Akhtar, Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani and senior government officials.
