ISLAMABAD, July 13: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday directed the commerce ministry to fine-tune the proposals to be announced in the upcoming trade policy aimed at promoting free trade in the country.
Presiding over the second meeting to review the proposals for the trade policy 2006-07, the premier also asked the ministry to enhance the export diversification as currently exports concentrated in a few items.
A source privy to the meeting told Dawn that the commerce ministry proposed an export target of $17.8bn for the ongoing fiscal year.
The export target would depend on the achievement of last year’s export target of $17bn, the source added.
However, the final export target would be decided in the special cabinet meeting on July 17 to be headed by the prime minister. The meeting would also consider adding of more items to positive list with India.
The source said that prime minister had also given a go-ahead signal for the announcement of the establishment of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP). The law ministry had already vetted the draft agreement of the TDAP, the source added.
According to an official press release the prime minister giving certain directions said that the main objective of the upcoming trade policy was to encourage free trade
These objectives, the premier said, would result in increased foreign exchange earnings and the creation of income and employment opportunities.
The participants gave several suggestions based on the feedback received from the private sector and other stakeholders.
The meeting was attended among others by ministers for commerce, industries, agriculture, health, textile industry, adviser to the prime minister on finance, deputy chairman planning, chairman EDB, chairman CBR.
