Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has set an ambitious goal to increase Pakistan’s exports to $60 billion annually within the next three years. During a meeting with the National Export Development Board in Islamabad, he stressed the need for practical measures from the Ministry of Commerce and related institutions to meet this target. Shehbaz noted that domestic exports had already exceeded $30 billion, with significant growth in the information technology sector, which saw exports surpass $3.2 billion.
The meeting included a briefing on the government’s export development initiatives and a plan to double Pakistan’s exports over the next five years. The Prime Minister instructed that all identified issues be addressed promptly and requested a progress report in two weeks. He also committed to holding National Development and Exports Board meetings every six weeks to ensure ongoing progress.
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Shehbaz expressed gratitude to the business community and investors for their role in boosting exports despite challenging conditions. He urged the Ministry of Commerce to work with sector representatives to finalize policy proposals aimed at enhancing export potential. For agricultural exports, the Ministry of National Food Security was assigned to improve extension services in collaboration with provincial authorities. The focus will be on exporting quality seeds and processed agricultural commodities and introducing high-yielding crop varieties.
Shehbaz emphasized the need to reduce shipping times to Europe and America by addressing logistical issues and directed the Board of Investment to assist in relocating Chinese export industries to Pakistan. He also called for timely refunds of export taxes by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and encouraged trade officers in Pakistani embassies to actively promote exports and support exporters.
