A government task force, formed under the chair of Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal to devise strategies that could help Pakistan avoid future reliance on the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has called for structural reforms to enhance the ease of doing business in Pakistan, tariff rationalisation and energy cost adjustments to boost exports-led growth, Dawn reported.
The task force’s findings were shared following a series of consultations with public and private sector stakeholders from January 5 to 9, 2026. It concluded that Pakistan’s current economic framework was unable to sustain growth for its expanding population, largely due to persistent barriers impacting 20 priority export products and six key export drivers.
Among the key issues identified were high and volatile energy costs that undermine export competitiveness. The committee emphasised the need for a rationalisation of electricity and gas tariffs to enhance industrial productivity. These energy tariffs are currently above regional benchmarks and subject to frequent changes, further inflating production costs across manufacturing and agricultural sectors.
Additionally, the Planning Commission flagged the high cost of doing business, attributing it to fragmented taxation, inverted tariffs, delayed sales tax refunds, and working capital lockups. The committee specifically noted that these issues were stifling small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and exporters who struggled to compete globally due to inconsistent policies and regulatory hurdles.
Another pressing concern was policy unpredictability, with frequent changes in tax rates, energy pricing, and export incentives. This has weakened investor confidence and hindered long-term planning for businesses reliant on stable policy environments.
The committee also criticised the country’s underdeveloped infrastructure, including inadequate testing and compliance mechanisms, high freight costs, and logistics bottlenecks. In particular, the lack of dedicated export terminals at Port Qasim and limited cold-chain infrastructure for perishable goods were identified as significant barriers to scaling up exports.
The findings were followed by a call for an increase in access to affordable finance for SMEs, with the committee noting the underdevelopment of export credit facilities, insurance, and guarantees. Additionally, it highlighted the need for a more robust system to facilitate raw material sourcing and input acquisition, which would help reduce operational delays.
Moving forward, the Planning Commission is refining its proposals through a private-sector survey to build a detailed roadmap for export expansion. Minister Iqbal emphasised that Pakistan’s economic future hinges on its ability to rapidly grow exports, move toward an export-led growth model, and strengthen foreign exchange reserves.
With Pakistan’s current exports valued at approximately $30-35 billion annually, the government has set an ambitious goal to unlock the untapped potential and push exports to over $60 billion in the next few years. The recommendations put forth will be included in a comprehensive strategy for approval by the prime minister, with the understanding that these reforms will need to align with the IMF’s conditions for continued fiscal support.
