The Senate Standing Committee on Commerce has been informed that the United States remains Pakistan’s largest trading partner, with Pakistan exporting $5.4 billion worth of goods to the US while importing $1.8 billion. Pakistan’s main exports to the US are textile products, but significant potential exists for increasing exports in gemstones, furniture, and pharmaceuticals.
This update was provided by Trade and Investment Officers from Washington and New York during a session presided over by Senator Anusha Rehman. The committee was briefed on the challenges facing Pakistani exporters and the opportunities for diversification, particularly in footwear and seafood, as highlighted by the New York trade representative.
During the session, the committee also discussed the non-inclusion of Senator Faisal Rehman on the Board of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), as well as the broader issue of excluding Parliamentarians from State-Owned Enterprises (SoEs) since a ruling in 2020 by the Law Ministry.
Commerce Secretary Jawad Paul explained that the Ministry plans to move a summary to the Cabinet for approval, seeking to exempt TDAP from this ruling, as it does not technically qualify as an SoE.
Senator Anusha Rehman questioned why a Cabinet approval would be needed for ex-officio members, given their automatic inclusion in statutory organizations like TDAP. She further criticized the current policy, noting a dichotomy since TDAP’s board is chaired by a Minister, who is also a parliamentarian.
The Committee decided to summon the Law Division to resolve this legal inconsistency. They also called for a future session to include trade representatives from other US states to explore additional export opportunities for Pakistani goods.
Prominent attendees included Senators Faisal Saleem Rehman, Bilal Ahmed Khan, Zeeshan Khanzada, and Hamid Khan, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Commerce, including CEO TDAP Muhammad Zubair Motiwala.
