The government has operationalised 17 sectoral councils to formulate policies and enhance competitiveness across Pakistan’s manufacturing and services sectors.
Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Industry, said the Ministry of Commerce has launched a broad reform initiative, with nine councils for manufacturing and eight for services. The councils cover sectors including hospitality, tourism, logistics, jewellery, and minerals.
“These councils will provide sectoral policy recommendations. This is a big job. We have never worked on sectoral policy before,” Khan said on Friday. The initiative integrates private sector expertise and is designed to review entire value chains from raw materials to finished goods. Private sector representatives are leading the councils, supported by provincial and federal government officials. Working groups will assess sectoral weaknesses and propose policy reforms.
Khan highlighted that systematic reviews will help align industrial, trade, and fiscal strategies into coherent national policies.
Alongside these reforms, Pakistan continues to attract investment. Fashion Private Limited recently announced a $100 million expansion in textiles, reflecting investor confidence in the country’s manufacturing potential.
Khan also outlined broader trade policy developments, including a new tariff liberalisation framework.
“The finance minister chairs the Steering Committee. Regular meetings are taking place. Work on the strategic trade policy is under way, and these sectoral policies will come under its umbrella,” he said. Progress is being made on digital trade and regional integration, with the e-commerce policy 2.0 draft ready and the GCC FTA nearing finalisation.
