Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan held a meeting with a World Bank delegation on Wednesday to discuss Pakistan’s comprehensive export reform agenda. The talks focused on strategies to enhance export competitiveness and streamline policies that can drive the country’s economic growth.
The discussions explored ways the World Bank could support Pakistan’s export initiatives as part of its broader country assistance program. Minister Khan emphasized a whole-of-government approach to export enhancement, advocating for a unified policy framework to improve competitiveness and the Ease of Doing Business for exporters.
Key elements of this strategy include promoting export-led growth by providing crucial support such as financing, liquidity assistance, reduced input costs, and regulatory facilitation to strengthen Pakistan’s export sector.
The World Bank team reiterated its support for Pakistan’s Trade and Investment Officers (TIOs) based in foreign missions and expressed a strong commitment to collaborating on knowledge-sharing initiatives aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s global trade linkages.
Highlighting recent initiatives, Minister Khan noted the establishment of 17 Sectoral Councils by the Ministry of Commerce, which aim to enhance private sector involvement in policy development. The World Bank team welcomed this move, recognizing its potential to enrich the policymaking process and foster stronger public-private collaboration.
Both sides agreed to establish a joint working group on trade, which will convene periodically to further the goal of achieving Pakistan’s ambitious export target of $60 billion. The formation of this group marks a significant step toward advancing Pakistan’s export potential and fostering sustainable economic growth.
