PM pushes digital shift at tariff commission to strengthen trade defences and industry support

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday instructed authorities to accelerate reforms at the National Tariff Commission, directing that all operational functions be shifted to a fully digital system to improve transparency and institutional performance.

The directive came during a high-level meeting in Islamabad to review progress on restructuring measures designed to modernise the commission and align its operations with international standards, according to an official statement.

During the session, officials presented updates on legal, administrative and financial reforms being implemented under a government-approved roadmap aimed at strengthening the commission’s regulatory capacity and responsiveness to trade challenges.

The prime minister emphasised that the commission’s effective functioning following institutional restructuring was essential to supporting domestic industry, attracting investment and ensuring timely trade remedies against unfair import practices.

He further called for a comprehensive strategy to address outstanding legal and administrative issues and instructed the body to enhance facilitation for investors and industrial stakeholders while protecting them from procedural complications.

Established under the National Tariff Commission Act, 2015, the National Tariff Commission is mandated to conduct quasi-judicial investigations into dumping, subsidised imports and sudden surges in imports that may cause injury to local industry.