PM Imran Khan to head National Export Development Board formed by Commerce Ministry

By
Ayaz Akbar Yousafzai
Prime Minister Imran Khan. Photo:Files
Prime Minister Imran Khan. Photo:Files 

  • NEDB will oversee alignment, progress, and implementation of Strategic Trade Policy Framework.
  • Ministry of Commerce will act as the secretariat of the board and its meeting will be held bi-monthly.
  • Govt says more sectors and representatives will be added in due course of time.


Prime Minister Imran Khan will chair the National Export Development Board (NEDB), formed by the Ministry of Commerce to “increase Pakistan’s export competitiveness”.

The ministry on Friday issued the list of government members that will form part of the board as well as private individuals it will invite to be part of the board. It also issued the Terms of Reference for the board.

“To provide strategic guidance to increase Pakistan’s export competitiveness by continuously improving the enabling environment for exports and increasing firms’ capabilities,” read the TORs shared by the ministry.

The ministry said that the NEDB will also oversee the “alignment, progress, and implementation of Strategic Trade Policy Framework (STPF) along with various sector-specific policy initiatives”.

It will also serve as a “monitoring and evaluation platform” to help the government develop enhancement policies and initiatives in various export sectors.

“To provide guidance and support to the relevant institutions mandated with the role to promote export-oriented foreign and local investment in the country,” said the statement.

The ministry of commerce will act as the secretariat of the board and its meeting will be held bi-monthly.

The government press release also said that more sectors and their representatives will be added by the Ministry in “due course of time”. It also said that the board “may co-opt local and overseas Pakistani experts, women, and young entrepreneurs on any specific sector-wise issue."

Composition of NEDB

MembersDesignation
Prime Minister of Pakistan
Chairman
Advisor to PM/ Minister of Commerce and Investment
Member
Minister of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives
Member
Minister of Industries and Production
Member
Minister of Finance and Revenue
Member
Minister of Energy/Power Division
Member
Minister of National Food Security and Research
Member
Governor State Bank of Pakistan
Member
Secretary Commerce
Member/Secretary
Secretary Finance
Member
Chairman Board of Investment
Member
Chairman FBR
Member
President Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Ex-Officio Member
Chairman Pakistan Business Council
Ex-Officio Member
President Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Ex-Officio Member

Additional public sector representative/members to be invited on an agenda basis:

Members
Minister of Foreign Affairs/ secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry for Economic Affairs/ secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Petroleum/secretary Petroleum division
Minister for Maritime Affairs / Secretary Ministry of Maritime Affairs
Chief Ministers of respective Provincial Governments / respective chief secretaries
Any other Ministry/Department

Private sector representatives to be invited:

SectorMembersOrganisation
Textile & Apparel 
Bashir Ali Mohammad 
Gul Ahmed. Karachi

Ahsan Bashir
Suraj Cotton Mills, Lahore

ljaz Khokhar
Ashraf Industries, Sialkot 

Khurram Mukhtar
Sadaqat Textiles, Faisalabad 

Shahzad Asghar 
Style Textile, Lahore
Leather 
S. Anjum Zafar 
Eastern Group, Lahore 

Irfan Iqbal
Nova Leathers. Karachi
Pharmaceutical 
Khalid Mahmood 
Getz Pharma. Karachi
Engineering Goods 
Almas Hyder 
Synthetic Products Enterprises Ltd, Lahore

Faisal Afridi 
Haier Group, Lahore
Rice
Chairman
Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), Lahore 
Fruits & Vegetables 
Waheed Ahmed
lftekhar Ahmed & Co. Karachi 
Agriculture
Mahmood Nawaz Shah
Sindh Mango Growers & Exporters. Hyderabad
Surgical Instruments 
Shakir Iqbal
Hilbro International, Sialkot
Information Technology 
Chairman 
Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA)

Ammara Masood
NDC TECH, Karachi
e-Commerce
Muneeb Maayr 
Bykea, Karachi