ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday approved the reservation of 20 per cent quota for overseas Pakistanis for the posts of trade officers in Pakistani missions abroad.
The decision was taken during a meeting held at the Prime Minister Office regarding reforms in the posting of trade officers abroad.
The prime minister directed the Ministry of Commerce to revamp the entire system of postings of trade officers in order to promote trade and commercial interests of the country.
The new policy approved by the prime minister focuses on transparent and merit-based selection of the trade officers, market diversification, involvement of Pakistani diaspora, rationalization of expenditure, broad-based monitoring and performance evaluation, and automation of the processes.
To effectively promote commercial interests of the country, especially in the emerging markets and various regions across the globe, trade clusters have been focused in the new policy to ensure optimum utilization and maximum outreach of the trade officers.
The prime minister was informed that in order to ensure broad-based and real-time monitoring of the performance of the trade officers, the entire evaluation process had been based on information technology.
Commerce Secretary Mohammad Younus Dagha also briefed the prime minister about National Trade Data Analytics System, which is being developed by the ministry.
The National Trade Data Analytics System, with its comprehensive database of trade statistics, exporters and importers directory, product database and trade lead insight, would help in better evaluation and promotion of trade interests of the country.
