In a strategic plan aimed at elevating the nation's export prowess, the Ministry of Commerce has officially instituted two robust export advisory councils dedicated to formulating comprehensive strategies for the advancement of both textile and non-textile products. Talking to WealthPK, Rafiullah Kakar, a member of Development Projects at the Planning Commission, said according to notifications issued by the commerce ministry, these councils were mandated with the pivotal task of crafting sector-specific strategies geared towards amplifying export volumes. "The timeline for this strategic planning is set at eight weeks, after which the proposed policy guidelines will be submitted to the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) for approval," he said. "In a dynamic environment, this ground-breaking initiative stands as a pivotal component of a broader strategy, with the ambitious goal of achieving a staggering $100 billion in exports," he added.

He added that the chairperson or convenor held discretionary powers to incorporate additional individuals from the public or private sector as necessary. "Notably, these advisory councils are also entrusted with guiding the Ministry of Commerce on matters affecting both textile and non-textile exports," he maintained. Rafiullah said that administrative support for these councils would be extended by the ministry itself. "Regular monthly meetings, or more frequent convenings if required, will be held under the chairmanship of the commerce minister." He highlighted that the Export Advisory Council for Textile boasts an illustrious line-up of members from the private sector, including Musadaq Zulqarnain of Interloop Holdings, Fawad Anwar representing Alkaram Textiles, Shahid Soorty from Soorty Textiles, Mian Muhammad Ahsan from US Group, Yaqoob Ahmed of Artistic Milliners, Amir Fayyaz Sheikh from Kohinoor Mills, Shahid Abdullah of Sapphire Textile Mills, Ahmed Kamal from Kamal Textile Mills and Ashraf Makati of TBC Company.

Meanwhile, the Export Advisory Council for Non-Textile Products comprises a distinguished roster of private sector luminaries, including Shehzad Ali Malik of Guard Agricultural Research and Services, Waheed Ahmed from Iftikhar Ahmed & Co, Khalil Sattar of K&N's Foods (Pvt) Ltd, Zulfiqar Malik from Malik Sports, Salman Hanif representing Hanif Jewellery & Watches, Adnan Hirani from Hirani Pharmaceuticals, Zubair Tufail of Tufail Chemicals, Jahangir Bajwa from Amica Enterprises, Abdur Razzak Gauhar from Infinity Engineering Pvt Ltd, Shoaib Sultan of Popular Marble Industries, Zulfiqar Hayat from Leather Ltd, Shabbir Dewan of Gatron (Industries) Ltd, Anwar Ghani from Ghani Glass, and Fuad Garib representing Garibsons (Pvt) Ltd. Rafiullah said that these two specialised groups were poised to significantly elevate Pakistan's export potential, driving the country closer to its $100 billion export goal.  

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)