ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has endorsed and approved the draft of Strategic Trade Policy Framework (STPF) 2015-18 after a thorough examination of the each and every clause.
The Ministry of Commerce claimed this in a document presented in a meeting of the Senate Committee on Commerce here.
This claim has been made despite the fact that Secretary Commerce Shahzad Abrab had admitted that Prime Minister had shown reservations on the trade policy draft and directed the Ministry of Commerce to add measures to enhance exports. He made this admission before the Senate Committee over a month’s time ago
But, the document present before the same committee said that in pursuance of the decision of the Cabinet Committee on Production and Exports, the Ministry of Commerce submitted the STPF 2015-15 draft to the Chairman Committee on October 30, 2015 for subsequent submission to the Prime Minister for approval.
The Ministry of Commerce further pressed that major thrust of the STPF 2015-18 was to provide support for technology up-gradation, product development, branding and certification apart from support to agro processing SMEs market access, trade diplomacy, institutional development are important part of the STPF.
Thus STPF was submitted to the cabinet committee on production and exports constituted by the Prime Minister Headed by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. The committee comprises all the relevant federal minsters, parliamentary secretaries, federal secretaries of the respective divisions. The first meeting the said committee was initially held on August 21,2015.
The committee on production and exports suggested a few amendments after thorough deliberations. These amendments were duly incorporated again and presented to the committee on August 28, 2015 which approved the STPF2015-18 along with proposals moved forward to the committee.
The document further reveals the claim of the Ministry of Commerce that STPF 2015-18 was prepared after in-depth discussion and consultation with all the relevant stakeholders both in public and private sectors including Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), respective chambers, trade associations, academia etc.
Utmost care has been taken while drafting proposals including incentives being provided to the sectors having potential for enhancing exports of the country.
