The government has operationalised 17 sectoral councils to design policies and improve 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 dedicated to manufacturing and eight to services, covering areas such as 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 in a statement issued Friday. The councils integrate private sector expertise and are designed to review entire value chains, from raw materials to finished goods. According to Khan, the private sector is leading the initiative, supported by representatives from provincial and federal governments. Working groups will analyse sectoral weaknesses and suggest policy reforms.
He stressed that systematic reviews will help align industrial, trade, and fiscal strategies into coherent national policies.
Alongside these reforms, Pakistan is continuing to attract investment in key areas. Fashion Private Limited recently announced a $100 million expansion in textiles, reflecting growing confidence in the country's manufacturing potential.
Khan also pointed to broader trade policy shifts, 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. He confirmed that progress is being made on digital trade and regional integration. "The e-commerce policy 2.0 draft is ready. We are about to finalise it. The GCC FTA is also about to come," he added.
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