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ISLAMABAD, Aug 07 (APP):The government has ensured steady growth in exports and is actively pursuing diversification through new market access agreements and promotion of non-traditional sectors, despite facing economic, energy, and law-and-order challenges in recent years.
This was stated by Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, Parliamentary Secretary for Commerce, in the National Assembly on Thursday while responding to a question raised by MNA Shazia Marri regarding the measures taken for export diversification during the last three years.
He said that while various internal challenges persisted—including an energy crisis and law and order concerns—Pakistan’s exports did not decline, but rather witnessed a nearly 10 percent increase over the previous year. “This reflects resilience and consistent efforts to expand trade avenues,” he said.
He added that the government has signed several key agreements, including new transit and trade agreements with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and other regional partners, which are expected to further broaden export markets. “There are many developments underway, and a comprehensive discussion on all trade facilitation initiatives would require extended time,” he noted.
Acknowledging the reply, Shazia Marri said she agreed that some improvement had occurred, but maintained that the pace of diversification and tangible outcomes remained limited. She urged the government to clarify what concrete gains had been achieved so far through these measures, especially in terms of sectoral expansion and new markets.
In a related discussion, Marri also highlighted the issue of medicine shortages and inflation in life-saving drugs, referencing data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics that indicated up to a 17.5 percent annual increase in prices, with rural areas seeing higher rates than urban ones. She criticized the inefficiency of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), citing over 60 vacant positions and delays in enforcing drug pricing policies.
Responding to her concerns, government representatives explained the regulatory processes for drug pricing and export controls, but faced criticism over the lack of data and delay in implementation.