ISLAMABAD: Commerce Minister Jam Kamal has proposed the creation of a post of “director general for security” within the trade promotion organisation to oversee security protocols for high-profile events.

The minister made the proposal during the Trade Development Authority’s board meeting on Thursday. The meeting, attended by TDAP Chairman Zubair Motiwala and key board members, covered an extensive 14-point agenda targeted at increasing the authority’s efficiency and effectiveness.

An official announcement said Jam Kamal expressed concern over the security arrangements at Texpo, highlighting gaps in the current system. He proposed creating a permanent director general for security position within TDAP to oversee protocols for high-profile events.

“We have ministers, ambassadors, and foreign dignitaries attending these events. We need a proper security professional in the structure,” he said.

Jam Kamal expresses dissatisfaction with security measures at Texpo

The board recommended initiating the process for the new position through the ministry of commerce and the finance division.

The commerce minister criticised the reliance on external security advisers, calling for a dedicated in-house role to manage airport, hotel, and city-level arrangements for trade events.

The government has established TDAP to promote exports and for facilitating exporters in the international market.

Previously, various attempts were made to transfer the TDAP headquarter to Islamabad and sector-specific directorates to the regions.

At the meeting, the commerce minister emphasised the need to restructure TDAP for improving its efficiency. New board members, including senators, were briefed on TDAP’s organisational structure, functions, and mandate. “Let’s start with better structuring of TDAP so we can see how to make it more efficient,” the minister stated. The minister took note of the current event management practices, particularly Texpo’s logistical and promotional challenges.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2024