ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government said this week its new National Agri-Trade and Food Safety Authority (NAFSA) would become operational within the next few months, introducing a single-window regulatory system aimed at streamlining agricultural imports and exports, improving food safety oversight and reducing bureaucratic delays.
Agriculture remains one of Pakistan’s largest economic sectors, accounting for about a quarter of gross domestic product and employing more than a third of the country’s workforce. Successive governments have pledged to reform the sector by improving productivity, strengthening food safety standards and reducing administrative bottlenecks that exporters say increase costs and delay shipments.
NAFSA is part of Pakistan’s broader effort to modernize agricultural trade and bring its regulatory framework more closely in line with international standards as the country seeks to expand agricultural exports and attract greater investment in the sector. The authority is expected to consolidate regulatory processes through a technology-driven platform designed to speed up approvals, improve transparency and make it easier for businesses to move agricultural goods across borders.
“NAFSA is one of the most significant institutional reforms in Pakistan’s agriculture sector and will greatly improve the business environment for importers and exporters dealing in plants, seeds and other agricultural products by reducing delays, removing red tape, and ensuring quality regulatory services,” the Ministry of Economic Affairs said in a statement after Federal Minister Ahad Cheema reviewed preparations for the authority’s launch on Monday.
“The Authority is expected to become fully operational within the next few months.”
According to the ministry, the authority will operate as a single-window platform for agricultural importers and exporters, allowing trade-related approvals to be processed more efficiently. Officials said a dedicated helpline, AI-powered chatbot and digital services would also be introduced to guide businesses and other stakeholders.
The government said NAFSA would introduce a new governance and human resources model based on merit and fixed-term contracts rather than permanent civil service appointments. Employees would undergo quarterly performance evaluations, while inspectors would use a technology-driven inspection system designed to minimize direct contact with importers and clearing agents and improve transparency through third-party audits.
The ministry said the authority’s board had been strengthened to enhance institutional autonomy and that recruitment for a permanent director general from the private sector was underway. Newly recruited officers are currently receiving specialized training at the Customs Academy in Karachi ahead of the authority becoming operational.
