LAHORE, May 20: The World Bank is going to conduct a study on growth and export competitiveness of Pakistan, according to John Arnold, the bank consultant, during a meeting with Smeda CEO Shahab Khwaja here on Friday. Mr Arnold said he had arrived in Pakistan to review the transport and logistic sector so as to increase export trade through improved logistics.

Prominent among others were National Trade and Transport Facilitation Committee of Commerce Ministry’s Executive Secretary Javed Mansoor, Special Projects director Anjum Ahmad, Donor Coordination and International Linkages Manager Imran Chaudhry and Smeda’s Manager Policy Planning Asim Saeed.

The commerce ministry had assigned the NTTFC secretariat to provide all necessary support for arranging meetings with stakeholders to carry out the study, he said, adding he had scheduled meetings with exporters of major commodities, logistic support providers and the government officials concerned.

This would help review the current status of logistic supply chain and its impact on the export of Pakistan, he said.

Mr Khwaja shared his views with Mr Arnold on the current scenario of the transport and logistic sector of Pakistan. He gave an overview of the problems likely to be faced by the small and medium entrepreneurs in transporting and preserving exportable goods, especially the fragile and perishable items for which modern facilities were not available in Pakistan.

He also apprised him of the work done by Smeda for improving the urban transport system.