ISLAMABAD: Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb on Monday chaired a meeting of the Steering Committee for the implementation of the National Tariff Policy.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik, the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, and senior officials from the Ministry of Finance and other relevant ministries, divisions, and organizations.
The finance minister said sustained tariff reform is a key part of Pakistan’s trade policy. He said the National Tariff Policy provides a five-year roadmap to liberalize trade, promote export-led growth, and improve industrial competitiveness. He added that the steering committee, formed by the Prime Minister, is responsible for monitoring the policy’s implementation, the status of foreign exchange reserves, and the transition of domestic industry during the reform process.
The National Tariff Commission (NTC), under the Ministry of Commerce, gave a presentation on its mandate, main functions, and recent performance. The commission explained its role in protecting domestic industry through rational tariff structures and trade remedy actions against practices such as dumping, subsidized imports, and harmful import increases.
Participants were informed about the NTC’s current institutional development efforts, including organizational reforms, technical training, automation, the proposed establishment of a facilitation centre for exporters, and improvements in legal and analytical capacity.
The finance minister acknowledged the commission’s work and said it should ensure fair competition for local producers. He said the government would support the commission in addressing its resource needs and highlighted the need to strengthen Pakistan’s anti-dumping system.
He advised that the NTC should avoid expanding in size and instead focus on becoming a lean and efficient organization that meets international standards and World Trade Organization rules. The meeting ended with participants agreeing to continue working closely to fully implement the National Tariff Policy and improve Pakistan’s trade and industrial performance.
