RAWALPINDI, JAN 2 /DNA/ – President, Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (RCCI), Usman Shaukat, held a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Commerce with Secretary Commerce Mr. Jawad Paul, along with the Additional Secretary Commerce and senior officials. Representatives of various Chambers of Commerce, FPCCI, and leading trade associations also participated, reflecting broad-based private sector engagement on export-led growth.
The meeting focused on practical and forward-looking policies to strengthen and diversify Pakistan’s export base. Representing RCCI, Usman Shaukat delivered a comprehensive presentation highlighting the structural challenges faced by exporters, the urgent need to reduce reliance on traditional exports, and the critical importance of product and market diversification for sustainable economic growth.
The RCCI President underscored that Pakistan has one of the lowest Export-to-GDP ratios among regional peers, clearly indicating vast untapped export potential. He noted that export performance has remained relatively stagnant due to limited diversification, low value addition, and overdependence on textiles, leaving the economy vulnerable to external shocks.
Sharing key recommendations, Mr. Usman Shaukat stressed the urgent need to expand exports beyond textiles into high-value sectors such as IT services, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, and processed agriculture, while proactively targeting emerging markets in Africa, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe.
He further emphasized incentivizing agro-processing and advanced manufacturing, supported by investments in cold chains, modern logistics, and testing and certification laboratories to meet international quality and compliance standards. He also called for simplification of tariffs and trade procedures, reduction in bureaucratic hurdles, and introduction of targeted tax incentives to facilitate export-oriented industries.
The RCCI President additionally highlighted the importance of enhancing access to affordable finance for SMEs, including export credit guarantees, insurance schemes, and working capital facilities to enable scale, innovation, and competitiveness. Strengthening “Brand Pakistan” through coordinated participation in international trade fairs, buyer-seller meets, and robust digital marketing was also emphasized to improve global visibility.
Mr. Usman Shaukat reiterated that export-led growth is essential for macroeconomic stability, foreign exchange sustainability, and job creation, and called for strong public-private collaboration to translate policy intent into measurable outcomes.
The Secretary Commerce appreciated RCCI’s constructive input and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to continued stakeholder engagement in shaping policies that can unlock Pakistan’s export potential and place the economy on a higher and more resilient growth trajectory.
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