The Ministry of Commerce has said it is unaware of any formal “export emergency plan,” despite recent public remarks by Ahsan Iqbal calling for urgent measures to revive exports.
Business Recorder reported, citing officials familiar with the matter as saying that no concrete proposal has been shared with the Commerce Ministry or other relevant departments, nor has any direction been conveyed by the Prime Minister’s Office. They said discussions held so far have not translated into a coordinated, cross-ministerial strategy.
The lack of clarity comes as Pakistan’s exports continue to contract. Exports declined 20.41% year-on-year in December, extending the downward trend to a fifth consecutive month and pushing the trade deficit to $19.20 billion in the first half of FY26.
Commerce Ministry officials said Pakistan’s programme with the International Monetary Fund limits the government’s ability to offer fiscal incentives to exporters. Longstanding industry demands, lower energy tariffs, faster refund payments and reduced interest rates, cannot be addressed without IMF approval, they added.
Officials said consultations have recently been held with exporters and business groups under the Prime Minister’s Office, and recommendations based on those discussions are being finalised. Separately, the Commerce Ministry is working on a Saudi Arabia–focused plan aimed at increasing Pakistan’s market share.
On the other hand, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said his proposals had been submitted to the prime minister, including declaring an export emergency, setting up a dedicated exporters’ hotline at the PMO and ensuring timely refunds.
However, sources said efforts across ministries remain fragmented, with no unified response to export and industrial challenges.
Recently, 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), called for structural reforms to enhance the ease of doing business in Pakistan, tariff rationalisation and energy cost adjustments to boost exports-led growth.
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.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also established a high-level committee to review a proposal aimed at declaring an export emergency in Pakistan, with the goal of doubling exports to $60 billion within four years. The committee, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, is tasked with addressing key issues, including delays in tax refunds, which have been a major hurdle for the industrial and export sectors.
