KARACHI: Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Secretary Sheryar Taj has announced a series of initiatives to boost Pakistan’s exports through agricultural value addition, digital trade facilitation, preferential market access and stronger public-private partnerships.
Speaking at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), Sheryar Taj said Pakistan needed to move beyond raw commodity exports and focus on value-added products to maximise its trade potential.
He highlighted TDAP’s Preferential Trade Access Database (PTAD), which covers 29 trade arrangements involving 93 countries. The platform allows exporters to identify available tariff concessions by entering a product’s HS code. TDAP will also arrange training sessions at KCCI to help businesses use the database.
Sheryar Taj said the digitisation of Certificates of Origin had resulted in around 40,000 certificates being issued during its first full year, benefiting approximately 12,000 exporters. The system has also saved exporters around Rs10 million annually in form-related costs while generating nearly Rs80 million in revenue.
He announced that the fourth FoodAg Manufacturing exhibition would be held in Karachi from November 23–26, featuring around 360 companies from 15 sectors. TDAP also plans agricultural and horticultural value-addition exhibitions in Lahore and Quetta.
On women’s entrepreneurship, he said WEXNET would expand to Quetta following successful events in Peshawar, Sialkot and Sukkur. TDAP has received 160 applications within two weeks and sought KCCI’s support in identifying experienced businesswomen to mentor entrepreneurs in Balochistan.
TDAP also announced TEXPO from April 2–4 at Karachi Expo Centre and a Made in Pakistan exhibition in Dhaka from April 28–30, 2027. TDAP will subsidise 80 percent of stall costs for the Bangladesh exhibition and provide qualifying women entrepreneurs with 50 percent airfare support and a daily allowance.
KCCI Calls for Review of China FTA
Chairman Businessmen Group Zubair Motiwala welcomed TDAP’s initiatives but called for an urgent review of Pakistan’s Free Trade Agreement with China.
He noted that Pakistan’s exports to China had increased only marginally while imports had risen substantially. He urged both countries to identify exportable Pakistani products and address market-access barriers to create a more balanced trade relationship.
Motiwala also called for a comprehensive blue economy roadmap, saying fisheries, aquaculture and maritime industries could generate up to $10 billion within two years if supported by modern fishing vessels, hatcheries and increased investment.
He further stressed the importance of agricultural value addition, urging TDAP to bring international food processors and manufacturers to Pakistan to develop higher-value products from rice, pulses and other commodities.
KCCI Assures Support
KCCI President Talat Mahmood assured TDAP of the Chamber’s full cooperation and said the TDAP Help Desk at KCCI was expected to become operational within three to four days.
He pledged to nominate two women entrepreneurs for TDAP’s Quetta initiative, support participation in the Made in Pakistan exhibition in Bangladesh and ensure strong KCCI representation at FoodAg.
Talat Mahmood also sought TDAP’s intervention to recover approximately $1 million in outstanding export proceeds related to a rice shipment to the Government of Oman, which has reportedly remained unpaid for around 18 months.