LAHORE, Jan 6: Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan on Saturday said the loadshedding of power and gas would affect the production of the manufacturing sector, adding that efforts were on to redress problems of the business community in this regard.

He said the government was endeavouring to bring down the cost of doing business in the country in order to make products more competitive in the international market.

“Hopefully, these efforts will yield positive results with the increase in country's exports,” he said while talking to reporters at the zonal office of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry here.

In reply to a query about trade deficit, Mr Khan said that country's balance of payments was improving gradually.

He said the private sector had been allowed to export 0.5 million tons of wheat this year, adding that no subsidy would be provided for the wheat export.

About the newly-promulgated Trade Organisations Ordinance, he said the law had been formulated after consulting all stakeholders. He ruled out any possibility of amendment to this law.—APP