TDAP draws up plan to give push to exports

Will seek approval of prime minister shortly

LAHORE: Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Chief Executive Officer SM Muneer has said that a plan has been finalised for boosting national exports and it will be presented to the prime minister soon for approval.

“The plan will help improve the gross domestic product, foreign exchange reserves and employment rate while narrowing the current account deficit, which has come down from $3.1 billion to $2.6 billion, and continuing to improve the balance of payments,” he said.



Talking to a delegation of leading exporters on Wednesday, Muneer pointed out that dozens of countries had seen their exports fall because of the recession in Europe.

Despite the best of efforts, Chinese exports have continued to fall for the fourth straight month while Indian shipments were going down for the past 11 months, standing at $32 billion.

Global exports of leather and leather products stood down 60%, carpet exports suffered a blow of 50% while some countries recorded a slide in value-added goods exports from 15% to 50%, he said.





However, Muneer was of the view that the external sector of Pakistan was performing well compared to the economic powerhouses as exports fell only $1 billion as opposed to the talk of a $4 billion decline. “The decline was not in volumes but it was the result of reduced prices as low demand plagued the international market.”

Imports of the country were also falling, which were down 12.5%, but for that the exporting countries could not be blamed, he said.

He also highlighted the efforts made to curb irregularities and misappropriation of funds at the TDAP.



“I introduced reforms, initiated restructuring and brought the level of corruption to zero in an institution where Rs31 billion worth of corruption was recorded and 61 FIRs were registered against top officials including ministers,” he claimed.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th, 2015.

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