ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday ordered officials to draw up a plan to increase agricultural exports and reduce the country’s trade deficit, highlighting the government’s push toward export-led growth as the economy shows signs of stabilization.
The directive comes amid Islamabad’s efforts to strengthen foreign exchange inflows, expand export destinations through economic diplomacy and shift growth away from consumption-led demand, following months of fiscal tightening and external financing pressures.
“Achieving export-based growth targets is our priority,” Sharif said while chairing a review meeting on export promotion, according to a statement from his office.
It added that the prime minister “directed authorities to draw up a plan to boost exports, especially agricultural exports, and cut the trade deficit.”
Sharif instructed authorities to fast-track institutional reforms aimed at improving facilitation for exporters and warned that any delays in processing tax refunds would be unacceptable.
He also directed officials to work with the Rice Exporters Association to develop a strategy to boost rice exports, with Islamabad holding talks with several countries on government-to-government agreements to expand overseas sales.
Officials briefed the meeting on plans to increase exports from high-value sectors such as engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and processed foods, while upgrading ports and logistics systems to ease trade bottlenecks and integrate Pakistan more deeply into global value chains.
