On a proposal put forth by Minister for Commerce, Engr Khurram Dastgir Khan, the World Bank has agreed to provide technical assistance to Pakistan for the development of a new tariff policy structure which would be aimed at increasing overall exports coupled with revenue generation.
Commerce Minister made this proposal while chairing a meeting with a high-level World Bank delegation led by its Country Director, Patchamuthu Illangovan and Senior Director, Trade & Competitiveness, Anabel Gonzalez. It was decided during the meeting that the new tariff policy proposal will be developed by the Ministry of Commerce and all technical assistance will be provided by the World Bank.
The Minister for Commerce nominated Dr Nazim Latif, Director General Trade Policy as team leader from the ministry to initiate the deliberations. Minister was of the view that in order to make Pakistani export products more competitive in the world trade marker, there was a need to increase export competitiveness not only at the ministry level but at the government level, as a whole. He told the delegation that Pakistan's macroeconomic situation has improved considerably, terrorism incidents have gone down immensely and energy crisis has been arrested on the sustainable basis.
The minister was of the view that Pakistan has made substantial progress in ease of doing business in the country and will continue improving by introducing required legislation and administrative measures. Anabel Gonzalez agreed to the point of view and said that the World Bank would be happy to see Pakistan is going in the right and upward direction and would provide all required technical assistance in this regard. Illango was of the view that to support Pakistan for developing a tariff policy structure afresh, the World Bank can also engage international trade experts who have success stories at their credit from the contemporary economies.-PR