ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce has asked the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) to pursue a case in a court of law for lifting ban on exports of poultry products from the country.

The standing committee meeting, chaired by MNA Naveed Qamar on Thursday, discussed the ban on the export of livestock, especially the ban on poultry and its products.

The committee was informed that as per directives of the committee, MoC and the Ministry of National Food Security & Research were holding sessions with all the stakeholders to resolve the issue. However, the matter of ban on the exports of poultry and its product was in the court of law.

The chairman observed that this kind of action has resulted in failure to meet export orders by the exporters and the ban has caused huge losses to exporters in particular and the industry as a whole. This action will provide the chance to other countries to fill the gap, he added. The committee directed the MoC to pursue the case on priority.

The restriction causes huge losses to exporters, in particular, and the industry as a whole

MoC Secretary Sualeh Farooqi said the proposed Amendments in the Trade Organisations (Amendment) Act 2021 — including an increase in the tenure of chambers and other organisations — were under the consultative stage with the Ministry of Law & Justice.

After a detailed discussion, the committee decided to invite the relevant stakeholders, especially the current and former presidents of the FPCCI, to the next meeting. MNA Sajida Begum had moved the amendments which the NA had referred to the committee on August 10.

The committee considered the pension and gratuity for the employees of Pakistan Cotton Standard Institute (PCSI) and directed the ministry to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

MNAs including Yaqoob Shaikh, Khurram Shehzad, Wajiha Qamar, Sajida Begum, Farrukh Khan, Usman Ibrahim, Iradat Sharif Khan, Rasheed Ahmed Khan, Tahira Aurangzeb, Shaista Pervaiz, Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2021