Pakistan’s first functioning Trade Dispute Resolution Commission (TDRC) has formally begun operations, a milestone in the country’s trade governance since the passage of the Trade Dispute Resolution Act, 2022.
The five-member Commission — comprising Umar Dad Afridi, Javed Iqbal Khan, Muhammad Hamood Ur Rauf, Muhammad Rauf Khan and Ms. Riffat Inam Butt — has been fully appointed for the first time and operationalized with a clear roadmap under the leadership of Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan.
In his address to the Members, Jam Kamal Khan said the TDRC would transform trade dispute settlement in Pakistan by offering a neutral, efficient, and transparent mechanism for both domestic and international stakeholders. He announced immediate steps to secure dedicated office space, finalize service and financial rules, launch an online complaint portal, and roll out a nationwide awareness campaign. The Executive Director General of the Trade Dispute Resolution Organization (TDRO) will extend full institutional support.
Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Commerce Rana Ihsaan Afzal congratulated the Members, noting that the Commission’s functionality for the first time reflects the government’s resolve to modernize trade institutions.
Members Riffat Inam Butt and Umar Dad Afridi, speaking on behalf of their colleagues, pledged to uphold the Commission’s mandate and said its operationalization would set new standards of transparency and professionalism, strengthen business confidence, and improve Pakistan’s reputation as a fair trading partner.
The launch of the TDRC under Jam Kamal Khan’s stewardship is being seen as a significant step toward improving the ease of doing business, protecting the trading community, and attracting investment through predictable and impartial dispute resolution.
