ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to send a high-level delegation to the US for negotiations aimed at addressing the new tariffs and duties imposed on Pakistan by the Trump administration, as well as strengthening trade relations.

Speaking during a meeting of the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) on Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the delegation would include key business leaders and exporters from Pakistan.

A senior government official, who attended the meeting, told Dawn that the delegation will consist of prominent figures from the public and private sectors.

“Senior officials of the relevant ministries… including finance, trade, commerce, IT, labour and foreign affairs will also be part of the delegation. Similarly, prominent businessmen, industrialists, importers and exporters will also be included in the mission,” he added.

PM tells economic team to prepare action plans for development of various sectors

During the meeting, the PM praised the government economic team for convincing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a reduction in domestic electricity prices.

“With the reduction in power tariffs, the production cost of the industrial sector will also reduce, and as a result, the exports of the country will go up,” he added. The PM said industrial development was one of the top priorities of the government that would help create new employment opportunities.

“Due to the comprehensive advisory process, the sustainable development goals will become possible soon,” he said, adding that the government was easing the process of investment and business by introducing reform measures in the taxation system and through information technology.

He emphasised that experts from various sectors included in the EAC will play an important role in national development through their valuable suggestions.

The prime minister directed the government’s economic team to pr­e­pare a practical action plan based on the suggestions of the cou­ncil members. He also instructed the formation of separate sub-committees under the Economic Advi­sory Council for different sectors, which will propose actionable suggestions regarding those sectors.

The participants presented their recommendations on the future course of action, particularly regar­ding the growth of Pakistan’s economy and the increase in exports.

The participants lauded the special attention given to the recent Mineral Investment Forum and considered it an important milestone for the development of Pakistan’s mineral and mining sector. The participants recommended focusing on the export of value-added products rather than raw materials.

They also suggested strengthening the communication infrastructure for the transportation of goods from industries to ports, aligning the skills of the domestic workforce with international standards, improving the promotion of Pakistani goods through foreign embassies, establishing export promotional councils, and further improving facilities in special economic zones and industrial areas.

They also proposed reforms in Pakistan’s banking sector to facilitate exports and appreciated the decision to send a high-level delegation to negotiate on the recent tariff imposition by the US.

The meeting was attended by members of the Economic Advisory Council, including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar; federal ministers Ahad Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Attaullah Tarar, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Ali Pervaiz Malik, and Sardar Awais Khan Laghari; advisers Muhammad Ali and Syed Tauqir Shah; state minister Bilal Azhar Kayani; Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar; State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmad; and other relevant officials.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2025