Ministry of Commerce in Progress to Finalize Pakistan-Uzbekistan Preferential Trade Agreement

The Advisor to PM on Commerce and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood, held a consultative meeting on the progress made on the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA). Secretary Commerce and other officials of the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) were present during the meeting. The Secretary Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) joined the meeting via video link. The Advisor was briefed that Uzbekistan has shared its Request List for Tariff Reduction and MOC is in the process of finalizing Pakistan’s Request List in consultation with public and private sector stakeholders. He was informed that the input of the private sector, concerned Ministries, and departments have been obtained via detailed consultations in the last three months. The Advisor directed the MOC to have a final round of consultation with the private sector stakeholders, companies trading with Uzbekistan, various chambers, and associations to review the ground situation before finalizing Pakistan’s Request Lists. He was informed that seminars will be held by TDAP in Karachi and Lahore to apprise the business community about the PTA. He was also apprised that sector-specific webinars will be organized by TDAP in the next two weeks to complete the process.