ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday approved the establishment of a Trade Facilitation Board (TFB), to be headed by him.
The board would decide on non-tariff matters related to cross-border trade and create a roadmap for trade promotion.
According to the PM Office, the board will make decisions on all non-tariff matters related to cross-border trade and improve the supply chain.
This board will prepare a roadmap for trade promotion, as well as strategies regarding the Trade Facilitation Index and monitoring.
Presiding over a meeting, the prime minister also directed that work be carried out ‘on anemergency basis’ to enhance the capacity of the country’s ports and to form working groups for this purpose.
The groups would work towards ‘improving port capacity, promoting coordination among relevant departments, ensuring compliance with the regulatory framework, prearrival clearance, and the inclusion of small and medium-sized businesses in international trade’.
The prime minister also issued directives to facilitate importers and exporters at ports, including measures to streamline goods clearance, the statement said.
It said the meeting was told that there had been a significant increase in port usage since port charges had been reduced under the ongoing reforms.