Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday ordered the immediate abolition of the Export Development Surcharge, directing ministries and departments to implement comprehensive reforms aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s export competitiveness.
The directives were issued during a high-level review meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office on the recommendations submitted by a sub-working group formed in October to propose measures for increasing national exports.
According to an official PMO statement, the Prime Minister instructed that the Export Development Fund (EDF) undergo a third-party audit covering the past five years in line with international standards. He also ordered that a suitable chairman from the private sector be appointed to ensure more efficient and transparent utilisation of EDF resources.
The Prime Minister further directed that EDF funds must be used exclusively for initiatives linked to export growth, research and development, skills training of the export workforce, and the establishment of modern, globally competitive facilities.
In addition, he called for third-party audits of all existing EDF programmes and schemes to ensure accountability and transparency.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also instructed a reform-based review and restructuring of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), noting that the organisation’s efficiency and performance were essential for accelerating export growth.
He emphasised that the misuse or non-essential spending of EDF funds would not be tolerated, adding that the global marketing and promotion of Pakistani products remained the federal government’s key responsibility.
The Prime Minister said facilitating industrial exporters on an urgent basis was among the government’s top priorities and reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to supporting the country’s export sector.
Chairperson of the working group, Mussadiq Zulqarnain, presented detailed recommendations during the meeting, which were reviewed in the presence of all members. The Prime Minister praised the group’s research and proposals and instructed relevant ministries to act immediately.
The meeting was attended by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal, Climate Change Minister Dr. Mussadiq Malik, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervez Malik, Minister of State for Finance Azhar Bilal Kayani, the Chairman of SIFC, and senior government officials.
