KARACHI: The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) has announced its plan to set up a division to deal with e-commerce and services sector and introduce structural reforms in order to face the challenges arising out of the digitisation of global economies, said Secretary TDAP Muhammad Sualeh Ahmed Faruqui on Wednesday.

He lamented that World Trade Organisation, in its report, pointed out Pakistan’s negligence towards dealing with these important sectors at a time when the economies around the world are undergoing digitisation.

He stressed upon the need for cooperation between federal and provincial IT departments to ensure a holistic approach to deal with issues related to these sectors.

Faruqui said that promotion of services sector is need of the hour since countries around the globe on average earn up to 30 per cent of their foreign exchange through tourism.

With regard to TDAP reforms, he said there is an urgent need to enhance the organisation’s capacity by bringing in structural changes within the legal framework. Despite resource constraints, TDAP has to evolve into a dynamic and responsive organisation equipped to deal with the challenges of digital era, he said.

As a trade facilitator, TDAP would work on product diversification and brand development for which it was necessary to have an analytical approach on external trade data and product marketing, he added.

He also mentioned that work on promoting Pakistan at the Expo 2020, to be held in Dubai, has been initiated for which globally acclaimed consultants have been hired to develop an efficient strategy. Moreover, he said that the Emirates had offered Pakistan to use its expo site as a regular showcase window.

Answering a question with respect to the financial trade agreement with China, he said the terms are being renegotiated while adding that under China Pakistan Economic Corridor, there is an urgent need for early harvest for Special Economic Zones.

In order to face challenges arising out of digitisation of economies, the federal and provincial governments along with local governments have to develop a consensus over issues arising after the 18th Amendment, he maintained.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2019