  
  
WT/TPR/M/424  
7 June 2022 
(22-4255) Page: 1/51 
Trade Policy Review Body   
30 March and 1 April 2022  
  
TRADE POLICY REVIEW  
PAKISTAN  
MINUTES OF THE MEETING  
Chairperson: H.E. Mr Ángel Villalobos Rodríguez (Mexico)  
CONTENTS  
 
1  INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY THE CHAIRPERSON  ................................ .......................  2 
2  OPENING STATEMENT BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF PAKISTAN  ................................ ... 4 
3  STATEMENT BY THE DISCUSSANT  ................................ ................................ ................  9 
4  STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS  ................................ ................................ ........................  12 
5  REPLIES BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF PAKISTAN  AND ADDITIONAL COMMENTS  ...... 43 
6  CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE CHAIRPERSON  ................................ .........................  48 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note: Advance written questions and additional questions by WTO Members, and the replies provided 
by Pakistan  are reproduced in document WT/TPR/M/ 424/Add.1  and will be available online at 
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tpr_e/tp_rep_e.htm.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  1  INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY THE CHAIRPERSON  
1.1.  The fifth  Trade Policy Review of Pakistan was held on 30  March  and 1 April 2022. The 
Chairperson, H.E.  Mr Ángel  Villalobos  Rodríguez (Mexico) welcomed the delegation of Pakistan, 
headed by Mr  Muhammad  Sualeh  Ahmad  Faruqui; H.E.  Ambassador  Dr Muhammad  Mujtaba  Piracha, 
Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the WTO; the rest of the delegation; and the discussant, 
H.E. Dr Bettina  Waldmann (Germany).  
1.2.  The Chairperson was pleased that, in addition to physical presence, the  meeting also benefited 
from the Interprefy online connection, allowing for a wider participation of the Membership, in 
particular of officials who could not make the journey from Islamabad given the current 
circumstances.  
1.3.  The Chairperson recalled the pur pose of TPRs and the main elements of procedures for the 
meeting. The report by Pakistan  is contained in document WT/TPR/G/ 424, and that of the WTO 
Secretariat in document s WT/TPR/S/ 424 and WT/TPR/S/424/Corr.1 . 
1.4.  Questions by the following delegations were s ubmitted in writing before the deadline: China, 
Canada, Oman, Brazil, United  States, Australia, South  Africa, Singapore, Republic of Korea, Kingdom 
of Saudi  Arabia, Costa  Rica, Turkey, European  Union, Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, and Argentina . The 
following  delegations submitted written questions after the deadline: United  Kingdom, Iceland, 
Indonesia, and Kazakhstan . 
1.5.  The Chairperson recall ed some elements of Pakistan's previous Review and developments since 
then, as well a s identifi ed some key issues ar isen from the advance written questions submitted by 
Members for th e current  TPR.  
1.6.  During the previous TPRB meeting on 24 and 26  March  2015, M embers had commended 
Pakistan for its resilient economy and positive growth. At the same time, they had encouraged 
Pakistan to do more with respect to fiscal consolidation as well as overcoming infrastructure 
shortfalls. For the current Review, Members thr ough their advance written questions have sought 
information regarding monetary policy issues and structural reforms in certain areas.  
1.7.  Members also recalled that, a t the time of the previous Review, they had  welcomed Pakistan's 
reform agenda under Vision  2025 and its Strategic Trade Policy Framework. Members also had 
commended Pakistan's submission of Category "A" commitments under the Trade Facilitation 
Agreement, for becoming an observer to the Government Procurement Agreement and undertaking 
a number of reforms to facilitate trade and investment. Some Members also had asked if there were 
any WTO -plus elements and provisions in its RTAs negotiations. For the current Review several 
Members were interested in having more details on: developments in trade -related policy 
formulation, objectives and its regulatory and institutional framework; WTO participation and 
notification; issues on RTAs and preferential schemes; and action to improve the investment and 
business environment.  
1.8.  With regard to trade policy, at  the time of the previous Review, Members had encouraged 
Pakistan to continue with its reform agenda such as the development of Special Economic Zones, 
enhanced competition policy, phasing out of Statutory Regulatory Orders (SROs) and the setting up 
of a N ational Single Window. Concern had been  expressed over, inter alia: the large difference 
between applied and bound rates, lack of notifications, various subsidies, and the high degree of 
protection afforded to the automobile industry. For th e current  Review, in their advance written 
questions, some Members expressed interest in learning more about: IPR issues particularly 
enforcement, export promotion and incentive schemes, SOEs and privatization, and SPS related 
issues.  
1.9.  In terms of sectoral trade pol icies, Members were interested in having more clarity on: the 
rationale for export prohibitions on some agricultural commodities; domestic support programmes 
to agriculture; policy objectives of additional profits tax levied on large -scale mining companies ; 
plans to increase the share of renewable energy; major revisions introduced in the Automotive 
Development Policy 2021 -2026, including changes in tax policies to spur automobile production; 
and, the e -commerce policy framework and digital tax policies.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  1.10.  In total, Pakistan received 319  advance written questions from 21  delegations for this Review, 
out of which around 260 were sent within the established deadline, covering a broad range of topics. 
Prior to this meeting, Pakistan had already provided written replies to almost all of these questions 
and the Chairperson was looking forward to  hearing Pakistan's updates on these issues during the 
two-day meeting.  
1.11.  This meeting w as a good opportunity for Members to discuss in greater detail issues of interest 
to them and of systemic importance to the multilateral trading system. It was also an opportune 
moment for Pakistan to update the Membership on the impact of COVID -19 on its economy and 
measures it ha d taken in response. The Chairperson was looking forward to a fruitful exchange.  
  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  2  OPENING STATEMENT BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF PAKISTAN ( MR MUHAMMAD  
SUALEH AHMAD FARUQUI ) 
2.1.  It is a distinct privilege for me to make this opening statement at Pakistan 's fifth Trade Policy 
Review at the WTO.  
2.2.   I would like to begin today by thanking the Chairperson, H.E. Mr Ángel  Villalobos  Rodríguez , 
Ambassador of Mexico and our discussant, H.E. Dr Bettina  Waldmann , Ambassador of Germany as 
well as the Secretariat for their support and assistance during our Tr ade Policy Review.  
2.3.  This exercise is indeed, a useful opportunity for us to assess our own policies, take stock of the 
major developments in various areas of the economy, and learn from the feedback from various 
Members to ensure that Pakistan remains on t he track towards prosperity, sustained trade and 
economic growth.  
2.4.  During this review process we have received around 300  questions  from Member countries,  
and we thank the Members for their interest in Pakistan 's Trade Policy Review. We have responded 
to the questions in writing and will continue to do so over the next couple of days. I must also thank 
our team from the capital, and our Mission in Geneva who have done their utmost to ensure that 
appropriate responses are provided timely to all questions pos ed. 
2.5.  Pakistan has always remained an active Member of the WTO. We believe firmly in the benefits 
at a time when the system is facing some of its biggest challenges both to this Organization and also 
to the concept of multilateralism as we have long understo od it. I would, therefore, seize this 
opportunity to reaffirm Pakistan 's commitment to the strengthening of the pillars that underpin the 
multilateral system, particularly of non -discrimination, transparency, consensus -based decisions 
making, and the conti nued emphasis on development through trade including Special and 
Differential treatment for developing countries.  
2.6.  Pakistan continues to engage meaningfully at the WTO. We aim to resolve all outstanding 
issues. These include the pending development agenda f rom the Doha Round. In addition, Pakistan 
is also committed towards identification of new areas where progress is needed to face the emerging 
challenges faced by the underdeveloped countries. Moreover, Pakistan is also committed towards 
generating consensu s-based solutions to issues that would level the playing field for the trading 
world.  
2.7.  Distinguished delegates, Pakistan 's fifth Trade Policy Review is taking place at a precarious 
time for global solidarity where the world in general and Pakistan in specif ic is faced with multifarious 
challenges.  
2.8.  Like many parts of the world, the C OVID -19 pandemic and its aftermath have presented a 
unique economic challenge to Pakistan, apart from the health crisis it has unleashed. In addition, 
Pakistan has been facing a stifling balance of payments crisis and is trying very hard to grapple with 
the situation both economically and socially. The aftermath of the Afghan war leading to the recent 
influx of refugees and the continued fight against terrorism have furth er exacerbated the challenges 
for Pakistan on various counts. These challenges have put Pakistan 's fiscal and external balances 
under unrelenting pressure providing very limited space to pursue the broader objectives of trade 
and tariff policies more aggre ssively.  
2.9.  In spite of these challenges, Pakistan has effectively managed the damage caused by the 
pandemic. While world output, shrunk by nearly 3.5% in 2020, Pakistan 's effective COVID -19 
response helped the economy to grow by more than 5% in FY 2020 -21.  
2.10.  Pakistan is the fifth largest country (about 220  million) in the world by population. However, 
so far, we have successfully avoided morbidity/mortality rates experienced by some comparable 
countries due to the pandemic.  
2.11.  The present Government is already into its fourth  year and has overseen the latter half of the 
review period. During this time, it has aimed to introduce new policies that would help Pakistan fight 
the current challenges to its economy, as well as lay down a foundation to prepare u s for the future.  
The emphasis during this time has been on building a firm industrial base with an eye on the future; WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  enhancing regional connectivity and thereby providing a concrete foundation for regional trade; and 
modernizing regulations and laws that  would enhance domestic efficiency and enable greater 
participation in global trade flows.  
2.12.  Pakistan 's Strategic Trade Policy Framework (STPF) 2020 -25 targets a transformation from a 
factor driven to an efficiency driven economy, through integration into t he regional and global value 
chains. This would be achievable by targeting trade -related investment and  building on the 
connectivity initiatives to integrate with the regional production hubs. The STPF 2020 -25 also 
provides a strategic vision through skill  building, a liberal tariff policy, gender mainstreaming, 
trade-oriented entrepreneurship, and infrastructure development. The formation of a National Export 
Development Board chaired by the Prime  Minister provides strategic guidance to increase 
competitiv eness and review trade policy implementation under the STPF 2020 -25. 
2.13.  Another significant move during this review period has been the institution of the National 
Tariff Policy 2019 -2024. The new policy aims to utilize tariff as an instrument of trade and industrial 
policy rather than revenue generation. The policy focuses on four priority areas: improving 
competitiveness of the manufacturing sector ; increasing employment opportunities ; removing 
anomalies and distortions within value chains ; and tackling dome stic price distortions. The newly 
constituted National Tariff Policy Board has made evidence -based policy recommendations to the 
federal cabinet after conducting detailed sectoral studies. Under the policy, around 85% of the tariff 
has been rationalized in  the last three  years. Moreover, to simplify the tariff structure and remove 
anomalies, the Government has also, under the tariff policy, began the process of integrating tariff 
exemptions into the main tariff schedule with more than 200  exemptions being i ntegrated into the 
main tariff structure. The tariff policy 's objective of rationalizing tariff and simplifying the tariff 
structure strongly aligns with WTO 's goal of trade liberali zation. The Government has remained 
committed towards tariff rationalizati on despite a challenging fiscal environment and conditions for 
international financial assistance.  
2.14.  In a significant change, the process for the issuance of Statutory Regulatory Orders (SROs), 
which are an instrument of policy amendment, has been changed to  allow the tariff policy board to 
recommend any changes to the federal cabinet where they could be agreed to and implemented to 
ensure transparency and remove discretion by specific government departments.  
2.15.  In the area of trade facilitation, Pakistan has ma de substantial improvements to border 
management. This has resulted in an improvement in the World  Bank Trading Across Borders 
ranking from 169th in 2016 to 111th in 2020. Since joining the Trade Facilitation Agreement in 2015, 
we have implemented 86.1% of our TFA commitments. Major milestones include the following:  
a. The Pakistan National Single Window (PSW) is envisioned as a single digital window 
interacting betwe en private sector and government agencies. In order to promote regional 
integration, Pakistan is implementing the Integrated Transit Trade Management System 
(ITTMS), which is modernizing its Border Crossing Points (BCPs).  
b. The National Freight and Logistic s Policy 2020 aims to lower inefficiencies in the logistics 
and transport landscape.  
c. Custom Data Exchange with Afghanistan and Uzbekistan is at advance stage by integrating 
multi modal transport logistics into WeBoC.  
d. Moreover, Pakistan has operationalized  National Trade and Transport Facilitation 
Committee (NTTFC) for identification and resolution of issues hindering commerce in the 
country. The NTTFC serves as the national committee for trade facilitation by bringing 
together representatives of public and  private sector for trouble shooting of issues 
pertaining to not just international but also domestic trade.  
2.16.  Under the National Narrative the current government 's repositioning of Pakistan from 
geo-politics to geo -economics is ushering a new era of econom ic revival supported by Pakistan 's 
increasing and promising regional integration. To implement Pakistan 's policy shift from geo -politics 
to geo -economics, the Government has made significant progress in implementing TIR Convention. 
The State maintains a Na tional Authorization Committee which has till now licensed six  operators on  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  TIR. In this regard, two  successful journeys under TIR were undertaken from Pakistan to Istanbul 
and to Baku in 2021.  
2.17.  One of the pillars of the investment regime in Pakistan is cr eating an environment 
characterized by ease of doing business and Pakistan has made good progress in reducing the cost 
of doing business. Several legislative steps have been taken in this area. We have launched the 
Pakistan Regulatory Modernization Initiat ive (PRMI) in FY 2020 -21 to deliver a comprehensive 
inventory and mapping of regulations. This framework mandates eliminating all registrations, 
licenses, certificates , and other permits (RLCOs) that are either redundant or lack legal backing. 
Under PRMI 's Regulatory Reforms and Guillotine Initiatives, the Government has completed 
100 reforms out of the 168  proposed reforms. Moreover, in conjunction with Pakistan Single 
Window, by the end of 2023, 90 % of all federal, provincial, and local RLCOs will be appl ied, renewed, 
and paid for online. These initiatives will reduce trade related regulatory burden and will help attract 
investment in the future.  
2.18.  Pakistan has managed to successfully resolve its issue of electricity supply to a large extent. 
With a combina tion of multilateral and other initiatives, Pakistan successfully added almost 
15,000 MW of installed generation capacity during the review period. Under its Alternate and 
Renewable Energy Policy 2019, Pakistan aims to procure 30% of its power from renewable energy 
sources by 2030.  
2.19.  In other infrastructural initiatives, the National Transport Policy of 2018 – complemented by 
the Pakistan Railway Strategic Plan of 2018 and National Aviation Policy of 2019 have laid a clear 
framework for development of road, rail, air, pipelines, inland waterway, multimodal, urban, and 
rural transport.  
2.20.  The prese nt Government has placed a very high priority on the utilization of the demographic 
youth advantage that Pakistan is endowed with. In this context, skill development through technical 
and vocations training has been a major target. Pakistan's Human Capital , National Vocational and 
Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) has formulated a National Skills for All strategy in 
consultation with all key stakeholders with the aim to improve governance, provide more and 
better -quality  training opportunities and remo ve policy fragmentation.  
2.21.  Alongside, sectoral policies are aimed to synergize with the skill development initiatives to 
provide long -term, industrial growth with skilled human capital to sustain it. Key initiatives have 
been undertaken in the new mobile ma nufacturing policy, automobile manufacturing policy, SME 
development and youth entrepreneurship, and Pakistan 's first ever e-commerce policy. The National 
Payment Strategy (2019) improves regulations for facilitation of digital payments as a part of 
Nation al Financial Inclusion Strategy (2015) and the E-Commerce Policy Framework (2019) have 
opened the doors for Pakistani traders to access platforms such as Amazon and Alibaba. In order to 
improve logistics for e -commerce, Pakistan Post has launched its first  mobile application and export 
parcel service "EMS  Plus" which facilitates small businesses to send their consignments/parcels 
abroad to any destination within 72  hours. Moreover, technology enabled platforms have created 
economic opportunities for women e ntrepreneurs and micro, small and medium enterprises 
especially by creating level playing field as they can access millions of consumers without spending 
money on big infrastructure and traveling. Through concentrated efforts by the Government, 
e-commerce digital transactions have almost doubled every year over the past five  years.  
2.22.  Pakistan remains committed to achieve the two  aligned objectives of sustainable development 
and social protection. To achieve "No Poverty" by 2030, Pakistan introduced multiple programs of 
social safety nets. The Ehsaas Program, Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), and Pakistan 
Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) are a few examples. We have also achieved considerable progress 
on SDG Goal  3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) by giving prio rity to strengthen health sector with 
landmark health care initiatives including Sehat Sahulat Program, National Health Vision 2016 -2025, 
Qaumi Sehat Card and Ehsaas Program.  
2.23.  Pakistan is also committed towards providing a safe and inclusive work environme nt to its 
labour  force. In this regard, all provinces have enacted Industrial Relations Act. The Government 
has instituted legislative and policy actions including increase of minimum wage, approval of federal 
and provincial apprenticeship acts and Pakista n Health and Safety Act 2018. Going forward, Pakistan 
is set to launch Better Works Program in collaboration with ILO.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  2.24.  Gender mainstreaming remains a key priority for Pakistan. SDG  5 on " achieving gender 
equality and empower all women and girls" has been given special attention through interventions 
to empower women on both social and financial fronts. Furthermore, Zainab Alert, Response & 
Recovery Act, 2020, Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Amendment) Act 
2022, Transgender Protecti on Centers, Enforcement of Women 's Property Rights Act, Anti -Rape 
Ordinance, Domestic Violence Acts all seek to protect and empower women.  
2.25.  Pakistan is expected to be one of worst victims of climate change, despite its own low carbon 
footprint. Realizing t his shared reality Pakistan would like the global community to undertake 
proactive and effective measures to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change. Pakistan would 
also like the global community to play its role in helping the developing countries to cope with the 
challenges imposed by climate change. As a responsible member of the global polity, Pakistan has 
taken proactive steps such as a fore station under Ten  Billion  Tree Tsunami  Program me, approval 
initiation of Alternate and Renewable Energy Policy 2019, National Action Plan on Sustainable 
Consumption and Production, National Electric Vehicle Policy 2020 , etc. 
2.26.  Pakistan continues to make legi slative reforms that facilitate participation in international 
trade and simultaneously address domestic and private business concerns. The sole vision of 
Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan is to make Pakistan a model country by guaranteeing 
protection of investment and enforcement of IPRs. Pakistan has revamped key IP legislations to 
ensure that all investments are protected and promoted in a manner conducive to 21st century 
business models. During the review period Pakistan has enacted its Geo graphical Indications Act, 
which will now enable the registration of domestic GIs and their protection internationally. Pakistan 
joined the Madrid International Trademark System in February  2021. With the accession to the 
protocol, local brand owners in Pa kistan can protect their trademarks in more than 100  countries by 
filing a single international application . 
2.27.  The last two  years in this review period have presented Pakistan with a unique challenge, as 
it has for the entire world. In spite of the enormity of the task and the lasting impact on lives, 
livelihoods and the economy, Pakistan has managed to mitigate the devastation of the C OVID -19 
crisis. The measures taken by the Government have helped keep related fatalities low, with minimal 
disruption to econ omic activity. Consequently, Pakistan has been ranked in the top  three, amongst 
50 countries, for return to pre -pandemic situation by the Economist Magazine's Global Normalcy 
Index in July and November  2021. A National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) w as 
established as a nerve centre  to synergize and articulate a unified national effort against COVID -19. 
The Government 's policy actions to mitigate the socio -economic impact of COVID -19 included a 
stimulus package of PKR  1.24 trillion (USD  7.8 billion) wh ich allowed relief to daily wagers, cash 
transfers to low -income families, accelerated tax refunds to the export industry, financial support to 
SMEs and utility stores and relief in fuel prices among others.  
2.28.  At the multilateral level, Pakistan is at the forefront for demanding a waiver from certain 
TRIPS obligations to diffuse production capabilities globally and make equitable access possible for 
all, to vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics in order to figh t the COVID -19 pandemic. Pakistan 
joined this proposal in line with the call from Pakistan 's Prime  Minister to make C OVID -19 vaccine a 
global public good and allow equitable access to vaccines for all countries.  
2.29.  At the same time, Pakistan has been very act ive in the WTO's response to the pandemic 
negotiations arguing for a holistic approach cutting across sectors of the economy and a response 
that is fit for future preparedness of Members and for policy flexibilities within the WTO for that 
purpose.  
2.30.  Pakista n further believes that active participation in the multilateral system at the WTO is 
extremely important in generating new ideas and creating an Organization that is responsive to 
emerging challenges. This must be done to ensure that the Organization rema ins wedded to its core 
principles that safeguard the right for developing countries to earn an equitable share in global trade 
expansion and derive means to foster their development through the system.  
2.31.  Pakistan is committed to increase its capacity to carr y out research -based policy initiatives in 
order to be better aligned with WTO 's core objectives. To this end, Pakistan has actively participated 
in WTO trainings. Moreover, it is pertinent to mention that for the first  time, one of the premier 
universitie s of Pakistan has been awarded the WTO 's Chairs Program me. WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  2.32.  I would like to end this brief introduction of Pakistan 's trade policy landscape during the review 
period by reminding the Members that multilateral trade negotiations remain a top priority for 
Pakistan. With the elusive MC12 fast approaching, Pakistan calls for focusing our combined attention 
on the immediate deliverables while not losing sight of the pending issues that have long created 
fissures among our ranks. That is the only way to create a l evel playing field for the poorest segments 
in the developing world, including millions of resource -poor farmers in Pakistan.  
2.33.  I thank you all once again and look forward to a fruitful discussion over the next two days.  
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  3  STATEMENT BY THE DISCUSSANT  
3.1.  May I congratulate the newly elected Chair of the Trade Policy Review Body, H.E. Ambassador 
Ángel  Villalobos  Rodríguez.  May I also warmly welcome the Pakistani delegation, led by 
His Excellency, Federal Secretary of Commerce, Mr Muhammad  Sualeh  Ahmad  Faruqui . I would like 
to thank Pakistan and especially my colleague Ambassador Dr  Piracha for their trust. It is a pleasure 
and great honour  for me to participate in this review.  
3.2.  I would also like to acknowledge the Pakistani officials as well as the WTO Secretariat for their 
in-depth and comprehensive reports. Together, they provide a thorough insight into Pakistan 's 
economy and the progress Pakistan has made to date. The reports also pro vide a better 
understanding of the challenges Pakistan still has to confront.  
3.3.  Pakistan is a founding Member of the WTO and has been a Member of GATT since 1948. It has 
actively been engaged in the WTO ever since, confirming Pakistan 's commitment to multil ateralism.  
3.4.  As discussant in today 's review, I would like to draw attention to some of the developments 
that in my view are significant, since Pakistan 's previous review in 2015. I would like to point out 
where I believe Pakistan has made notable progress and mention what I believe to be the challenges 
remaining. I would also like to offer some thoughts as to possible further improvements that Pakistan 
may wish to consider.  
3.5.  Ladies and Gentlemen, t here are several areas where notable progress and positive 
developments in Pakistan 's economy can be seen since the last review. Please allow me to highlight 
a few . 
3.6.  In the face of the C OVID -19 pandemic, Pakistan has demonstrated outstanding crisis 
management, especially in terms of economic and social policy. The e limination of import duties on 
emergency health equipment helped to get the required material into the country. This underlined 
the importance of international trade in addressing domestic shortages. Cash transfers to those most 
in need, helped to alleviat e economic suffering. Support to SMEs and agriculture kept relevant 
sectors afloat. Monetary measures helped to stimulate investment despite the crisis.  
3.7.  These measures resulted in a relatively mild contraction of 0.9 % of GDP in 2020. Currently, 
Pakistan i s back to 4.7 % growth, almost at the pre -crisis level of 5.8 %. 
3.8.  Pakistan has committed to protecting the environment and fighting climate change. To this end 
Pakistan has stopped building new coal fired power plants, has committed to increasing the share of 
renewable energy and to implementing a program of reforestatio n. This is commendable, not only 
for ecological reasons. A higher share of renewables and a more efficient use of the existing power 
infrastructure will help in lowering energy costs and boosting competitiveness.  
3.9.  Pakistan has initiated reforms that have i mproved the climate for investment and the ease of 
doing business. Notable reforms have been the introduction of an online one stop shop, the so -called 
Pakistan Single Window. Pakistan has also simplified the payment system for taxes and implemented 
invest ment promotion policies such as reduced customs for machinery, tax incentives for 
investments and special economic zones.  
3.10.  As I mentioned earlier, Pakistan is a long-time and active Member of the WTO. Pakistan 's 
tariff rate is still however, relatively high  but it is making an effort to reduce the applied tariff rate. 
The most favoured  nation (MFN) applied tariff rate has fallen during the review period from 14.3 % 
to 12.1 %. 
3.11.  Pakistan has ratified the Agreement on Trade Facilitation (TFA) and has quickly and d ecisively 
started to implement it. According to the report by Pakistan the rate of Agreement implementation 
stands at 86 %.  
3.12.  Over the last  years, some necessary structural reforms were triggered, in part due to IMF 
Extended Fund Facility in fields such as m onetary policy, taxation, privatization, energy, competition 
policy,  and corporate governance.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  3.13.  Other notable improvements are a more liberal exchange rate regime, improvements in 
current account balance and shorter customs clearance times.  
3.14.  Furthermore, t he Central  Bank is promoting financial development, is aiming to reduce the 
gender gap and to boost fintechs.  
3.15.  Finally, i t is welcome to see that Pakistan has set for itself the goal of trade liberalization, 
trade facilitation and improvement of export comp etitiveness. Even though we live in difficult times, 
let us hope some or all of the goals can be achieved.  
3.16.  Despite the recent positive developments, there still remain important challenges ahead.  
3.17.  Overall, tariffs in Pakistan remain high, openness to trade  and the integration into the global 
trade and supply chains is relatively low. Pakistan has even witnessed a decrease in the share of 
trade relative to GDP over the review period.  
3.18.  Although the average applied MFN tariffs were lowered, bound tariffs hover  around an average 
of 61.5 % - five times higher than the average applied MFN. Scope to lower bound tariffs exists.  
3.19.  Duties on goods and services are a main source of government revenue. This makes it difficult 
for Pakistan to lower tariffs as this would shrink the tax base for governmental income.  
3.20.  The share of employment in agriculture (39.2 %) is still very high, also relative to the 
agriculture sector share in GDP (25.7 %). This is a sign for low labour  productivity in agriculture.  
3.21.  Applied tariffs for agriculture remain higher than for other sectors, further policies to subsidize 
agriculture are still in place. This kee ps the labour -share of agriculture high and can be seen as a 
hindrance to boosting productivity in agriculture but also to Pakistan as a whole.  
3.22.  Another challenge is public procurement. The report observes that current procurement 
practices include a price  preference of up to 25% on all government purchases, depending on 
domestic value -added. This implies that foreign bidders are systematically disadvantaged and makes 
public purchasing considerably more expensive. This should be addressed.  
3.23.  Pakistan 's econom ic situation must be seen in a challenging regional context that has direct 
implications on the country 's ability to attract investment and on the public finances. The war in 
Afghanistan has led to an inflow of 3 million refugees into Pakistan. At the same  time trade with the 
other neighbouring  countries is hampered due to various reasons. This should be taken into account 
when assessing Pakistan 's ability for reform and trade integration.  
3.24.  Excellencies, Ladies, and Gentlemen, H ow might Pakistan address some of the challenges it 
is still facing and to continue to further improve its economic and trading performance?  
3.25.  In its report, Pakistan mentions several challenges that make it difficult to  implement more 
progressive trade and tariff policies, especially fiscal imbalance. A decisive tax reform and 
privatization of less profitable state -owned enterprises might be some steps to consider. Pakistan 
could perhaps look at how other countries have dealt with privatization and the effects it has had on 
those sectors. Both for the better and for the worse.  
3.26.  While these reforms might already make sense in themselves, the interplay between such 
reforms and trade policy makes such changes even more import ant. Broadening the tax base would 
help to limit the reliance on import duties as a source of public revenue, while privatizing less 
profitable state-owned  enterprises would free up funds for other public interest needs. At the same 
time, privatization cou ld boost overall competitiveness.  
3.27.  In its report, Pakistan states that it is undertaking measures to improve education and training 
regimes. This is highly welcome and encouraging. An enhancement in education together with 
vocational training, equally for b oth sexes, leads to improved productivity, helps to attract much 
needed foreign direct investment and supports the transition to higher productivity jobs. It would 
probably lead to an increased participation of women in labour  markets and support the econo mic 
development of SMEs.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  3.28.  Currently, Pakistan has a high concentration of exports in a few select sectors: Textiles 
account for 59 % of all exports. Pakistan should aim to diversify its exports by developing other 
competitive sectors. The development of ski lls through education, as mentioned before, would be a 
key factor in developing knowledge based, future proof jobs and industries in Pakistan.  
3.29.  Currently Pakistan is an observer to the GPA and may wish to develop its procurement policies 
with a view to bec oming a future Member of the GPA.  
3.30.  Lastly , Pakistan has launched a National E -Commerce Plan to support the growing digital 
sector; going forward it may possibly also wish to consider joining the JSI on E -Commerce.  
3.31.  As mentioned earlier, Pakistan has a growing renewable energy sector and is aiming to phase 
out coal fired power plants in the ne ar future. As with the JSI on E -Commerce, this is an opportunity 
for Pakistan to contribute to future policy by joining the WTO Structured Discussion on Trade and 
Environment.  
3.32.  Dear Excellencies, Ladies, and Gentlemen, I wish Pakistan the best of luck for t he Trade Policy 
Review.  I am looking forward to our discussions over the next days.  Thank you.  
  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  4  STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS  
CHINA  
4.1.  China warmly welcomes the delegation of  Pakistan, led by H.E.  Mr Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad 
Faruqui , Federal Secretary of Commerce, to the fifth  Trade Policy Review and would like to thank 
the discussant, Ambassador  Dr Bettina  Waldmann  for her insightful comments and guiding 
questions. Many thanks also go to you, Chair and the Secretariat for the efforts to make this review 
happen.  
4.2.  China commends Pakistan for its remarkable development achievements. The percentage of 
population living below the national poverty line declined from 50.4% in fiscal year of 2005 -06 to 
21.9% in fiscal year of 2018 -19. Pakistani economy grew at an average annual  rate of 3.8% during 
the review period, which is an encouraging performance in light of the COVID -19 driven global 
economic turmoil as well as the worrying situation in the region. The resiliency of the Pakistani 
economy during the pandemic is particularly  commendable, which bounced back to an estimated 
4.7% growth rate in 2020 -21. 
4.3.  Pakistan is China 's all-weather strategic cooperative partner, and we are deeply committed to 
this partnership and the trade relationship between our two  countries. The recent vi sit of 
H.E. Mr Imran  Khan, Prime  Minister of Pakistan to Beijing in early February  2022 is a mark of iron 
brotherhood and solidarity between Pakistan and China. China reaffirmed its full support for Pakistan 
in promoting its socio -economic development and prosperity.  
4.4.  The trade and economic cooperation between the two  countries features the China -Pakistan 
Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of Belt and Road Initiative. CPEC has significantly 
contributed to Pakistan's economic and social development.  China firmly believes that Pakistan 
would take full advantage of CPEC and further unleash its trade and growth potential.  
4.5.  The two  countries have recently reaffirmed their support to CPEC 's high -quality development. 
China appreciates Pakistani Prime  Minister's launch of the Pakistan -China Business and Investment 
Forum and  will enhance B2B cooperation between the business sectors of both  countries.  
4.6.  As the second -largest export destination for Pakistan, China is impressed with the growth of 
our bilateral trade and notes the record increase in bilateral trade volume in 2021. Trade between 
China and Pakistan reached US D 27.8 billion in 2021. China 's import from Pakistan in 2021 grew 
by 45% compared with that of 2015. China 's export to Pakistan incr eased by 47% from the year 
2015 to 2021. Together with Pakistan, China would further expand bilateral trade relations by fully 
utilizing the Second  Phase of Pakistan -China Free Trade Agreement, which was signed in 2019, and 
continue all efforts to increase  Pakistan 's exports to China.  
4.7.  On the multilateral front, China appreciates Pakistan's continued support to the rules -based 
multilateral trading system. Ratification of TFA and completing a large part of its implementation 
would be a strong piece of evidenc e.  
4.8.  Pakistan has actively and constructively participated in WTO work in numerous areas including 
agricultural negotiations; fisheries subsidies; trade and environment; electronic commerce and 
development; especially its important role in the response to p andemic discussion.  
4.9.  Furthermore, Pakistan has participated actively in the discussions on the restoration of 
Appellate Body and DSB. China looks forward to continued deeper and closer cooperation with 
Pakistan in upholding the multilateral trading system.  
4.10.  As the Government 's report points out, Pakistan has faced and continues to face many 
challenges. The regional security issues have had substantial financial and economic implications for 
Pakistan, as resources are deployed to respond to security threats. Security concerns also impact 
the investment climate, particularly for foreign investors. Pakistan has been facing a balance of 
payments crisis and its fiscal fundamentals remain chronically imbalanced. Pakistan has made great 
progress in undertaking refor ms to overcome these challenges. China appreciates Pakistan 's WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  commitment to a long -term agenda of trade liberalization and domestic competitiveness. We remain 
committed to working closely with Pakistan in all areas both bilaterally and multilaterally.  
4.11.  In closing, we would like to thank Ambassador Dr Muhammad  Mujtaba  Piracha for his 
personal contribution to the WTO as Chair of CTD, and his able team for their hard work in Geneva. 
We also thank Pakistan for their timely responses to our questions and wish the m every success in 
the fifth  Trade Policy Review.  
CANADA  
4.12.  Before delivering our statement for this TPR, I would like to state that Canada strongly 
condemns the Russia n Federation' s attack on Ukraine. This unprovoked and unjustifiable aggression 
is a clear violation of sovereignty, territorial integrity , and existing obligations under international 
law.  
4.13.  In the context of today's agenda, Canada welcome s Mr Muhammad  Sualeh  Ahmad  Faruqui , 
and the Pakistani delegation to Geneva. We are pleased to participate in the fifth  Trade Policy Review 
of Pakistan. We thank the Government of Pakistan and the Secretariat of the WTO for their reports.  
4.14.  Pakistan 's economic growth rate shows a slight increase from the previous rate reported in 
the 2015 TPR. This d emonstrates that, amid a challenging global economic crisis brought about by 
the COVID -19 pandemic, the continued complex regional security environment, the evacuation of 
refugees from neighbouring Afghanistan and the climate crisis, Pakistan has been able  to achieve 
economic stability comparatively well.  
4.15.  Noting the importance of economic security, Canada welcomes Pakistan 's engagement on 
trade and investment. Pakistan has highlighted its interest in increasing foreign direct investment 
and creating better conditions for business to flourish.  
4.16.  Canada welcomes Pakistan 's efforts to abolish nuisance tariff rates, resulting in a reduction 
of its average applied MFN tariffs over the reviewed period. We encourage Pakistan to continue to 
review high tariffs that st ill apply in certain sectors, and we note with concern that the number of 
trade-restrictive measures in Pakistan has grown since its last  TPR. 
4.17.  Economic prosperity and stability require a favourable environment for business. Canada 
welcomes Pakistan 's progr ess on the multi -year FDI strategy launched in 2020 and we are 
encouraged by improvements to Pakistan 's business environment, including in relation to energy 
availability. However, many challenges remain: precarious security conditions in parts of the 
country, inconsistent implementation of contracts, a web of complex and sometimes conflicting 
regulations, and widespread corruption. With regard to corruption, we acknowledge the efforts that 
the Government of Pakistan has taken to address the issue, includin g the passage of the Public 
Interest Disclosure Act in 2017, and the ongoing work of Pakistan's anti -corruption organization. 
However, the country continues to perform poorly in Transparency International 's Annual Corruption 
Perception Index. We therefore encourage Pakistan to redouble its efforts.   
4.18.  Canada notes the government of Pakistan 's policy objectives for the agricultural sector, which 
are to achieve food security and to increase the sector 's growth. Since the last  review, Pakistan has 
undertaken eff orts to develop value chains and processing infrastructure, as well as to improve 
productivity in agriculture. These improvements have resulted in Pakistan becoming a net wheat 
exporter in recent years.  
4.19.  With regard to Pakistan 's participation at the WTO, we observe that it is behind by a number 
of years in providing notifications in respect of agriculture, subsidies, state trading enterprises, 
quantitative restrictions, and import licensing. We invite Pakistan to address this situation as soon 
as possible,  including through requests for the able assistance always provided by the WTO 
Secretariat. Transparency is a critical element of participation in the WTO. On a different note, 
Canada welcomes Pakistan 's participation in the Multi -Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement 
(MPIA), which demonstrates Pakistan 's commitment to binding two -stage dispute settlement at the 
WTO. We invite Pakistan to consider supporting plurilateral initiatives, including on services domestic 
regulation and investment  facilitation for development.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  4.20.  We also encourage Pakistan to support the Ministerial Declaration on the Advancement of 
Gender Equality and Women 's Economic Empowerment within Trade and to become involved in the 
Trade and Environmental Sustainability Struct ured Discussions.  
4.21.  Finally, we welcome Pakistan 's participation as an observer to the WTO Agreement on 
Government Procurement. and we encourage Pakistan to consider acceding to the WTO  GPA. 
4.22.  We have submitted questions on some of the themes I have touched up on, and other issues. 
We thank Pakistan for its responses, which we will carefully review. We look forward to a constructive 
exchange of views on all aspects of Pakistan 's trade policy.  
4.23.  We wish the Pakistani delegation success with this policy review.  
OMAN 
4.24.  It is a great pleasure for the delegation of Oman to participate in the fifth Trade Policy Review 
of Pakistan and we join other WTO Members in welcoming H.E.  Mr Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad 
Faruqui, Federal Secretary of Commerce and his distinguished delegation . 
4.25.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank the WTO Secretariat and the Government of 
Pakistan for their detailed and comprehensive Trade Policy Review reports. I also thank the 
discussant H.E . Dr Bettina  Waldmann , Ambassador and Permanent Representat ive of Germany for 
her remarks.  
4.26.   I would like also to thank H.E . Dr Muhamm ad Mujtaba  Piracha,  Ambassador and Permanent 
Representative of Pakistan to the WTO and his distinguished team for the excellent cooperation 
between our two missions  in Geneva , which serve our mutual interests. I didn 't miss His Excellency 's 
effort and contribution in making Oman 's third Trade Policy Review such a resounding success as 
discussant in last November  2021.  
4.27.  The Sultanate of Oman and Pakistan enjoy a broth erly friendly relationship supported by the 
geographical reality and the long historical, cultural , and religious relations between the 
two countries and the close ties between their peoples.  
4.28.  In 2019, Oman exported US D 562 million  to Pakistan. The main pro ducts exported from Oman 
to Pakistan were refined petroleum (US D 294 million ), petroleum gas (US D 158 million ), and 
nitrogenous fertilizers (US D 29.6 million ). During the last 24  years the exports of Oman to Pakistan 
have increased at an annualized rate of  27.7%.  
4.29.  In 2019, Pakistan exported US D 171 million  to Oman. The main products exported from 
Pakistan to Oman were rice (US D 67 million ), tropical fruits (US D 10.9 million ), and wheat 
(USD 9.51 million ). During the last 24  years the exports of Pakistan to O man have increased at an 
annualized rate of 7.37%.  
4.30.  Pakistan ranks third among Oman 's receiving workers, the Government and people of Oman 
greatly appreciate and respect the invaluable role foreign expertise has played and continues to play 
in our nation 's development.  
4.31.  Oman congratulates Pakistan's efforts since previous Trade Policy Review in 2015, for 
improving economic fundamentals and strengthening macroeconomic resilience, which have been 
undertaken.  
4.32.  We are glad to note that Pakistan's openness to international trade and its integration into 
the world economy continued to be reflected by the country's share of trade (exports plus imports) 
in goods and services to GDP, which despite a slight rise from 27.7% in 2014 -15 to 28.2% in 
2020-21.  
4.33.   Oman comm ends Pakistan on the steps taken since the last review guided by the Vision  2025 
on trade and trade related structural reforms, were undertaken in several areas such as privatization, 
competition policy, and liberal investment regime.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  4.34.  Pakistan remains comm itted to the rules -based multilateral trading system and actively 
participates in WTO activities. Oman welcomes  the ratification of the Trade Facilitation Agreement 
and the efforts has made significant improvements in customs clearance procedures enabling it to 
implement over 86% of the provisions of the WTO  TFA and reducing customs clearance times.  
4.35.   To conclude, the delegation of Oman wishes the delegation of Pakistan a very successful 
fifth Trade Policy Review.  
BRAZIL  
4.36.  Brazil would like to thank the Islamic Republic of  Pakistan and the Pakistani Mission to the 
WTO, represented by Permanent Representative Muhammad  Mujtaba  Piracha, for engaging in 
Pakistan 's fifth  Trade Policy Review and providing Members with an overview of the country 's 
economic perfo rmance and adherence to the multilateral trading system.  
4.37.  We would like to express our appreciation to the WTO Secretariat for its thorough and 
comprehensive report, as well as to the Chair, Ambassador  Ángel  Villalobos  Rodríguez (Mexico) , and 
the discussant , Ambassador Bettina  Waldmann  (Germany), for their contribution to this crucial 
exercise on transparency.  
4.38.  Brazil and Pakistan have dynamic and very positive political and trade relations. Brazil was 
the first Latin American country to establish diplomatic relations with Pakistan, in 1948, and to open 
an embassy in that country, in 1952. Our two  countries enjoy a growing economic relationship. 
Trade flows between Brazil and Pakistan increased by over 350% between 2015 and 2021. Despite 
the effects of the wor ldwide pandemic in the last two  years, Brazil and Pakistan reached a historic 
record in 2021 of USD  1.3 billion in bilateral flows. Brazil is ready to work with Pakistan to expand 
and diversify our bilateral trade.  
4.39.  We are proud to supply Pakistan with important products for their economy and their food 
security, such as soybean and cotton. Meanwhile, Pakistan is a valuable source of textiles and 
medical devices.  
4.40.  With a view to increasing and diversifying bilateral trade, it is essential to advance the a nalysis 
of sanitary and phytosanitary certification. We have proposed to the Pakistani authorities the 
Brazilian model of International Health Certificate (IHC) to support the export of beef and meat 
products, as well as for live animals, and we expect pro gress will be achieved in this area. Brazil is 
also expecting an answer regarding phytosanitary requirements for the export of potato mini -tubers. 
Perhaps we could agree on a visit at the appropriate level to address these issues.  
4.41.  We are pleased to see tha t, despite the impact the COVID -19 crisis had on the Pakistani 
economy, leading to a decline of 0 .5% of GDP, it has already bounced back, with a sharp recovery 
of 3.9% growth in 2021, which shows the resilience of the Pakistani economy. Pakistan 's economy 
seems to have an equally positive outlook for the near term, despite challenges linked to a surge in 
global energy prices, supply chain disruptions and the depreciation of the Pakistani Rupee. 
Overcoming these adversities is not an easy feat, especially re ducing inflation, controlling 
unemployment and taking actions towards strengthening international trade.  
4.42.  We applaud Pakistan 's high level of engagement with the Trade Facilitation Agreement, 
including 86 .1% implementation of their commitments, as well as t he "Web -Based One Customs" 
program me and the "Integrated Transit Trade Management System", which modernizes 
border -crossing points to shorten port dwell times. Other positive developments during the review 
period were the "National Tariff Policy 2019 -2024" , which liberalizes and simplifies the tariff regime 
and the "Strategic Trade Policy Framework 2020 -2025", which aims to enhance Pakistan's export 
competitiveness and integrate the country into the regional and global value chains. We also praise 
Pakistan 's current tax reform and new legislation regarding the improvement of the intellectual 
property environment, such as the 2020 Geographical Indications Law and the review of national 
IP laws to incorporate international good practices.  
4.43.  In spite of Pakistan 's increased engagement at the WTO, there is still work to be done. A 
particularly important topic is transparency, since there continue to be many outstanding WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  notifications in areas including agricultural export subsidies, import licensing procedure 
requir ements, subsidies, SPS, and TBT.  
4.44.  Brazil has submitted some questions in this Trade Policy Review. We thank Pakistan for their 
written replies, which will be forwarded to our capital for examination and follow -up. 
4.45.  Let me conclude  by wishing Pakistan a very successful and productive Trade Policy Review.  
UNITED  STATES  
4.46.  The United  States reiterates its strong support for Ukraine during this unimaginably difficult 
time. The United  States along with other Members has made its position on the Russia n Federation's  
actions clear. We refer you to WT/GC/244, "The Joint Statement on Aggression by the 
Russian  Federation against Ukraine with the Support of Belarus ", and encourage other Members to 
support this sentiment.  
4.47.  The WTO is predicated on certain core values, among these that a fair and just international 
order is one built on rules, reciprocity, and transparency in the name of promoting peaceable 
commercial relations.  The Russian  Federation's  actions undermine the rules -based system we have 
built and work to improve .  
4.48.  I would like to welcome the head of delegation, Mr Muhammad  Sualeh  Ahmad  Faruqui  and 
Ambassador  Dr Muhammad  Mujtaba  Piracha , Permanent Representative of Pakistan.  
4.49.  The United  States values Pakistan as an important trading partner, as Pakistan 's 
second  largest export destination by country. In 2021, our total two -way goods trade reached 
USD 8.8 billion, up from USD 6.8 billion in 2020. We recorded USD 3.5 billion in exports to Pakistan 
and USD 5.3 billion in imports in 2021.  
4.50.  The United  States and Pakistan signed a bilateral Trade and Investment Framework 
Agreement (also known as a TIFA) in 2004. The United  States and Pakistan have held one TIFA 
council meeting in 2015, and several intersessional TIFA meetings since 2016. As recently as 
March  2022, a team of US officials travelled  to Pakistan to engage on a broad range of trade and 
investment concerns, with a view toward expanding bilateral economic ties. As of December  2016, 
the United  States also invited Pakistan to become an observer in the United  States - Central Asia 
TIFA. We hope that Pakistan 's participation in the arrangement will further facilitate trade within the 
region.  
4.51.  We do have some specific concerns in this review. We note that Pakistan is missing 
notifications required to fulfil its transparency obligations in the WTO.  In particular, Pakistan 
continues to have many outstanding notifications in the areas of agricultural export subsidies, import 
licensing, quantitative restrictions, SPS, and TBT. We encourage Pakistan to submit its noti fications 
promptly.  
4.52.  With regard to intellectual property (IP), a key issue for Pakistan 's economic development, 
we understand that Pakistan is in the process of amending some of its IP laws. With this in mind, 
the United States looks forward to Pakistan pr oviding clarity regarding certain aspects of its current 
IP protection and enforcement regime and proposed changes to that regime currently under 
consideration. We also hope that Pakistan can clarify its plans on acceding to certain World 
Intellectual Prop erty Organization (WIPO) treaties.  
4.53.  In the area of agricultural trade, we would like further details on the Agricultural 
Transformation program me of 2021. We continue to engage the Government of Pakistan on 
completing draft regulations for the importation o f genetically engineered (GE) and GE -derived 
products for food, feed, and processing use (or "FFP"). The United  States appreciates Pakistan 's 
desire to engage in technical dialogue regarding the regulation of agricultural biotechnologies, and 
stands ready to support Pakistan as it drafts its science -based FFP regulations for the purpose of 
facilitating trade.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  4.54.  With regard to Pakistan 's Regulatory Modernization Initiative (PRMI), we hope to better 
understand the initiative itself as well as how it will be imp lemented alongside the existing ad hoc 
Statutory Regulatory Orders (SROs). We note that Pakistan has issued 30  trade-related SROs 
since 2015.  
4.55.  We are encouraged by the engagement that we have had with Pakistan during this review 
period. The United  States wi ll continue to work alongside Pakistan to strengthen and deepen our 
trade relationship. We have submitted questions and look forward to discussing and reviewing 
Pakistan 's responses.  
AUSTRALIA  
4.56.  Australia welcomes the opportunity to participate in this Trade  Policy Review of Pakistan and 
welcomes Federal Secretary  of Commerce, Mr Muhammad  Sualeh  Ahmad  Faruqu i, and Ambassador 
Dr Muhammad  Mujtaba  Piracha  in leading the Pakistani delegation here today.  
4.57.  Today 's context – in particular, the unprovoked and unjustified Russian  Federation's  attack 
on Ukraine, which Australia continues to condemn in the strongest possible terms – is an attack on 
the rules -based order writ large. Like others who have spoken today, we wish to refer Members to 
our recent statement  with a range of other Members (WT/GC/244) and encourage them to consider 
joining it.  
4.58.  These events highlight the need for our continued strong investment here at the WTO, 
including to this important Trade Policy Review process.   
4.59.  Pakistan is an important partner for Australia, both bilaterally, and at the WTO. Australia and 
Pakistan 's two -way trade in goods and services was USD 1.7 billion in 2020. The largest element of 
our trading relationship is about USD 800 million worth of education service s. Over 13,000 Pakistani 
students studied in Australia pre -COVID and as we continue to recover from the pandemic, we look 
forward to welcoming new and returning Pakistani students to Australian universities.  
4.60.  In relation to our two -way goods trade, Austral ia is pleased with recent positive developments 
related to trade in agricultural goods. This includes Australia and Pakistan reaching agreement on 
fumigation standards for Australian grains, pulses and oilseeds, the issuing of the first  permits for 
Austral ian canola exports since 2016, and the certification for export to Australia of two additional 
Pakistani mango treatment facilities. Australia looks forward to continuing to work with the Pakistani 
Government in implementing rigorous sanitary and phytosani tary measures that can support 
increased two -way trade.  
4.61.  Australia acknowledges and welcomes Pakistan 's commitment to the multilateral trading 
system and its active participation across the WTO. Pakistan is a valued member of the Cairns Group. 
We thank Pak istan for its constructive contributions in driving agriculture reform at the WTO, in 
particular Pakistan 's focus on the need to reform trade -distorting domestic support entitlements. I 
want to particularly thank Ambassador Piracha for the thoughtful leade rship and bridge -building role 
he brings to the agriculture negotiations.  
4.62.  Australia commends Pakistan 's Vision  2025 agenda which has promoted trade liberali sation, 
reduced the costs of doing business and improved Pakistan 's export competitiveness. We appla ud 
Pakistan 's abolition of nuisance tariffs under its National Tariff Policy, and the fall in average applied 
tariffs during the review period. We also commend Pakistan for ratifying the Trade Facilitation 
Agreement – and making substantial progress towards its implementation – which has helped 
streamline procedures and reduce customs clearances timelines for imports into Pakistan. Australia 
looks forward to continuing to work together with Pakistan on rulemaking and WTO reform efforts 
that c an enhance the positive contribution of trade to global development.  
4.63.  Australia recogni zes Pakistan 's commitment to transparency, which is a cornerstone of the 
WTO and the rules -based multilateral trading system. We note, however, that the Secretariat 's 
Report has identified a number of outstanding notifications from Pakistan, and encourage Pakistan 
to submit all its outstanding WTO notifications – including for its agricultural export subsidies – as 
soon as possible.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  4.64.  Australia notes that, since its last re view in 2015, Pakistan 's Technical Barriers to Trade 
regime has remained unchanged. The reduction of non -tariff barriers is vital to open trade. We call 
on Pakistan to continue to improve its business environment, including by taking further steps 
toward a  more predictable and transparent regulatory regime and addressing non -trade barriers 
impacting on trade flows.  
4.65.  We also encourage the Pakistan Government to continue implementing necessary structural 
reforms for economic stability and to meet its reform t argets under the IMF Extended Fund Facility. 
This would support sustainable economic growth and facilitate a growing and diverse Pakistani export 
sector.  
4.66.  We appreciate the opportunity to participate in this important transparency mechanism and 
thank Pakis tan for meaningfully engaging with this Trade Policy Review.  
SOUTH  AFRICA  
4.67.  We would like to join the delegations that preceded us in congratulating the delegation of 
Pakistan led by Mr  Muhammad  Sualeh  Ahmad  Faruqui, Federal Secretary  of Commerce, as well as , 
Ambassador Dr Muhammad  Mujtaba  Piracha  and his team for the fifth Trade Policy Review. We 
thank the Government of Pakistan and the Secretariat for their detailed reports. We also thank 
H.E. Dr Bettina  Waldman n of Germany for her insightful observations a s a discussant.  
4.68.  South  Africa and Pakistan have well established bilateral trade relations and bilateral trade 
continues to grow. The value of South African exports to Pakistan increased from ZAR 2 billion in 
2011 to ZAR 17 billion in 2021. Primary products dominate South  Africa 's export basket, therefore 
much more needs to be done to change the structure of our trade.  
4.69.  Our bilateral relations are further characteri zed and anchored by multi -faceted cooperation at 
various levels, including high -level p olitical platforms, a Joint Commission, and a Joint Business 
Council. To further boost business activity, the Pakistan South  Africa Association contributes to 
expand trade and investment between our two countries in the fields of textile and infrastructure  
development.  
4.70.  The TPR of Pakistan is taking place when the world is reeling from the effects of the C OVID -19 
crisis. As highlighted by both reports, like many other countries, Pakistan 's economic growth was hit 
by the negative impacts of the pandemic. Paki stan GDP contracted by -0.9% in 2019 -20. However, 
as noted by both reports, Pakistan rebounded with a positive figure of 4.7% in 2020 -21 due to the 
adoption of proactive and result of timely adopted support measures; including trade -related and 
investment reform policy measures; as well as improvements in trade facilitation procedures geared 
towards rebooting the economy.  
4.71.  We commend the Government of Pakistan for the dynamism of its policy reform agenda, 
including efforts directed towards improving the over all business environment. South  Africa 
understands the challenges surrounding economic recovery and maintaining a steady growth in the 
face of these uncertain times. We believe that although risks remain due to the pandemic and 
continued uncertainty in rel ation to global growth, the implementation of its reform and policy 
measures will assist to put the economy on a sustainable growth trajectory.   
4.72.  As we approach MC12, it is worth pointing out that the aspirations of developing and least 
developed Members in  the WTO have been severely set back by the C OVID -19 pandemic and its 
effects. Pakista n's co-sponsorship of the TRIPS waiver is a clear demonstration of its commitment 
to a fair, just and equitable multilateral trading system. It is in recognition of the r ole that the WTO 
must play in addressing common challenges in the spirit of solidarity, importantly the need to 
address vaccine inequity, promote diversification of production of vaccines, diagnostics , and 
therapeutics in order to promote resilience and su stainable economic recovery.  
4.73.  We also note with interest Pakistan 's substantial efforts to improve border management and 
trade facilitation during the period under review and we thank Pakistan for its response to our 
question in this regard.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  4.74.  In conclusion, we commend Pakistan for the role it plays in the WTO and its proactive 
participation in the work of the WTO and for its solidarity on issues of interest to developing 
countries. We wish Pakistan a successful TPR.  
SINGAPORE  
4.75.  Let me begin by extending warm gr eetings to the Pakistan delegation led by  Federal Secretary 
of Commerce Mr  Muhammad  Sualeh  Ahmad  Faruq ui. I would like to express our appreciation to 
Pakistan for its comprehensive Government Report and statement. Our appreciation also goes to 
you Chair ; discussant Ambassador  Bettina  Waldmann as well as the Secretariat for your valuable 
insights. Allow me to  make three  points.  
4.76.  First, Singapore and Pakistan share warm economic ties which have strengthened despite the 
global economic downturn caused by the COVID -19 pandemic. In 2021, the total trade in goods 
between our two  countries increased by almost 50% yea r-on-year to US D 1.35 billion, which 
exceeded pre -pandemic figures. Trade in services, especially in advertising, market research and 
transport services, also remained strong and reached US D 427 million in 2020. More importantly, 
Singapore and Pakistan hav e forged new partnerships in sectors such as education and FinTech. 
Going forward, there is potential for Singapore and Pakistan to further strengthen and expand 
bilateral trade and economic relations.  
4.77.  Second, Singapore welcomes Pakistan 's efforts to impro ve its business environment, 
particularly through the Strategic Trade Policy Framework 2020 -25 and the "Emerging Pakistan " 
initiative. Notably, reforms undertaken  by the Pakistan i Government to streamline business 
processes and lower corporate income taxes  have helped Pakistan to improve its ranking in 2020 by 
28 places in  the World  Bank's Ease of Doing Business Report. However, there is still room for 
Pakistan to improve its current position of 108th among 190  countries surveyed. A key area of 
improvement could be to facilitate digital trade. In this connection, the establishment of Pakistan 's 
E-Commerce Policy Framework in 2019 represents an important step forward as it has led to 
increased adoption of digital payments, enhanced consumer protection as well  as a more predictable 
regulatory environment. This has, in turn, opened new possibilities for local and foreign business 
owners, including small and medium size enterprises as well as women entrepreneurs.  
4.78.  Third, Singapore commends Pakistan 's firm commitme nt to the multilateral trading system 
and its active engagement in the WTO. It is noteworthy that since signing the WTO Trade Facilitation 
Agreement (TFA) in 2015, Pakistan has implemented 86.1% of its commitments, including 
milestones such as the establis hment of the Pakistan Single Window which has streamlined trade 
regulatory requirements, especially in the areas of audits and documentation procedures. To further 
build on these achievements, Singapore would encourage Pakistan to consider joining the Join t 
Statement Initiatives (JSI), including on Domestic Regulations, Investment Facilitation and 
E-Commerce. This will further complement the government 's economic and digitalisation policies. 
Singapore would also like to urge Pakistan to consider elevating i ts status as an observer to become 
a party to the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), given the importance of establishing 
open, fair , and transparent conditions of competition in government procurement processes.  
4.79.  In conclusion, Singapore looks forward to working with Pakistan and its Mission which is ably 
led by Permanent Representative , Dr Muhammad  Mujtaba  Piracha , to further strengthen the WTO.  
I wish Pakistan every success for its fifth  TPR.  
REPUBLIC  OF KOREA  
4.80.  Before I beg in, I wish to echo t he previous speakers on the situation in Ukraine. The Korean 
Government also strongly condemns Russian  Federation's armed invasion against Ukraine, which 
violates the principles of the UN Charter. The use of force leading to the loss of innocent lives cann ot 
be justified under any circumstances. Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and political 
independence must be respected.  
4.81.  I would like to extend a warm welcome to the delegation of Pakistan to its fifth  Trade Policy 
Review. I extend my deep appr eciation to Federal Secretary of Commerce , Muhammad  Sualeh 
Ahmad  Faruqui for his comprehensive presentation. I would also like to take this opportunity to WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  commend my colleague Ambassador Muhammad  Mujtaba  Piracha for all his work here in Geneva. 
My thanks a lso go to Ambassador Bettina  Waldmann of Germany for her insightful comments as a 
discussant and the Secretariat for its detailed Report.  
4.82.  My delegation appreciates Pakistan 's efforts to facilitate its trade and improve its investment 
climate by implementing reforms and policy measures. I take particular note of Pakistan 's 
implementation of 86% of its WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement commitments by enhancing customs 
clearance procedures, as shown in the establishment of a national single window platform. My 
delegation welcomes Pakistan 's efforts to streamline and rationalize the tariff structure and hopes it 
will continue to liberalize its trade and market.  
4.83.  Over the years, Korea and Pakistan have further developed our bilateral trade and investment. 
It is encouraging that the bilateral trade value in 2021 reached its highest peak after experiencing 
drops in the previous two years due to the COVID -19 pandemic. Areas of  bilateral cooperation have 
also extended to infrastructure, construction, and energy with the participation of Korean companies 
and governmental agencies. In particular, the ongoing projects, including building hydropower plants 
in the KPK province, and o ther cooperative efforts such as last year 's training program on the 
renewable power sector will further cement our cooperation in the relevant areas.  
4.84.  Next year, 2023, will mark the 40th anniversary of our diplomatic ties. My delegation believes 
that our two countries will continue to move toward mutual prosperity by expanding bilateral trade 
and investment opportunities.  
4.85.  Against this positive backdrop, I wish to mention a few specific areas of interest and concerns 
of Korea.  
4.86.  Pakistan joined the Madrid i nternational trademark system in February  2021. This is a 
welcome development as it is intended to protect foreign business as well as local brand owners in 
Pakistan. Pakistan also strengthened the regulatory and institutional framework for IP enforcement.  
In terms of IP enforcement, dealing with cases of alleged violation of trademarks seems to be one 
of the challenges. When a trademark is violated, a company that owns the trademark bears the 
burden of proof but foreign companies often have difficulties in  investigating the details of the 
violation to produce proofs. I would like to encourage Pakistan to pay  more attention to foreign right 
holders ' difficulties  in its IP enforcement effort .  
4.87.  In 2019, Pakistan 's foreign exchange market went through positive changes with the adoption 
of a market -determined exchange rate system. However, the exchange restrictions  aimed at 
supporting the balance of payments are causing difficulties to foreign companies in exchanging 
Pakistani rupees into US dollars and sending r emittances abroad. Korea hopes that Pakistan will take 
a closer look at this issue.  
4.88.  Regarding market access, Korean companies are exploring broader access to the Pakistani 
market, but in some cases, certain restrictions are reported. For example, Korean c ompanies can 
hardly participate in the bidding process of national hospitals due to nationality requirement. In 
addition, commercial second -hand cars are not allowed to be imported if more than three years have 
passed since their production. My delegation looks forward to Pakistan 's efforts to further liberalize  
its market .  
4.89.  As many other delegations said today, I also appreciate Pakistan 's steadfast support to and 
active participation in the rules -based multilateral trading system. In our response to globa l 
challenges, it is crucial for all Members to collectively support multilateralism and make efforts to 
establish a level playing field by complying with global norms. Korea hopes that Pakistan will 
continuously contribute to facilitating free trade and st rengthening the multilateral trading system.  
4.90.  I wish the delegation of Pakistan every success in its TPR.  
  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  KINGDOM  OF SAUDI  ARABIA  
4.91.  The Kingdom of Saudi  Arabia would like to extend a very warm welcome to the distinguished 
delegation of Pakistan headed by H.E. Mr Muhammad  Sualeh  Ahmad  Faruqui, Federal Secretary of 
Commerce, Ministry of Commerce.  
4.92.  We wish to thank our brothers in Pakistan and the WTO Secretariat for their detailed and 
comprehensive Trade Policy Review Reports. We also thank the discussant H.E . Dr Bettina 
Waldmann , Ambassador and Alternate Permanent Representative of Germany to the WTO for her 
insightful comments.  
4.93.  The Trade Policy Review reports highlight that Pakistan's GDP growth has averaged just 
under  4% in the period under review. Pakistan  was able to weather the COVID -19 pandemic 
comparatively well by taken a proactive and comprehensive set of economic policies and other 
support measures.  
4.94.  We would like to commend Pakistan for the structural reforms that were undertaken in several 
areas su ch as monetary, privatization, and competition policy, which resulted, among other reforms, 
in better ranking in Ease of Doing Business indicator.  
4.95.  Pakistan is to be commended for launching some plans and strategies during the period under 
review such as N ational Telecommunications Policy, National Transport Plan, Digital Pakistan Policy.  
4.96.  We congratulate Pakistan for the significant improvements to its customs clearance 
procedures, its steps to further improve and enforce the IPR regime aims to encourage in novation 
and investment in the information technology sector.  
4.97.  During the review period, Pakistan remains committed to the rules -based trading system and 
actively participates in WTO activities such as the Joint Statements on Investment Facilitation for 
Development and MSMEs. In addition to its well -recognized role in the current multilateral 
negotiation especially from the development prospective such as on agriculture, discipline of fisheries 
subsides, and WTO response to COVID -19. 
4.98.  The Kingdom of Saudi  Arabia and Pakistan enjoy excellent brotherly outstanding relations 
supported by shared memberships in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and they are 
prominent trading partners. Trade exchange between the two  countries exceeded SAR 9 billion in 
2020. Also, Saudi Arabia was the fifth  largest exporter of goods to Pakistan in 2020. On the 
investment front, in 2020, the number of Pakistani investment licenses in the Kingdom increased 
dramatically by more than double compared to 2019, which give us a cl ear indication of the 
increasing demand for Pakistani investors to take advantage of the promising investment in the 
Kingdom of Saudi  Arabia. The construction and manufacturing sectors are the most prominent 
investment fields in which Pakistani companies o perate in. On the other hand, a group of Saudi 
companies operates in a number of vital sectors, such as Petromin in the automotive oil industry in 
Pakistan. Moreover, Saudi -Pakistani Supreme Coordination Council, which established in 2021 to 
strengthen rel ations between the two  countries, develop trade relations, and open wider horizons 
for economic growth will contribute to boosting bilateral economic and trade cooperation between 
the two countries.  
4.99.  At the end, I would like to thank H.E.  Dr Muhammad  Mujtaba  Piracha , Ambassador and 
Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the WTO and his distinguished team for the excellent 
cooperation between our two  Missions here in Geneva which serves our mutual interests.  
4.100.   To conclude, we wish our brothers i n Pakistan a very successful Trade Policy Review.  
EUROPEAN  UNION  
4.101.   On behalf of the European  Union, I would like first to welcome the delegation of Pakistan, 
led by Mr  Muhammad  Sualeh  Ahmad  Faruqui, Federal Secretary  of Commerce, Ministry of 
Commerce. I woul d also like to thank the WTO Secretariat and the Government of Pakistan for their WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  respective reports and express appreciation to H.E.  Dr Bettina  Waldmann (Germany) for her 
remarks as the discussant.  
4.102.   At the outset let me express the EU and its member State s' full solidarity with Ukraine and 
its people. The EU condemns in the strongest possible terms Russia n Federation 's unprovoked and 
unjustified military aggression, which grossly violates international law and undermines international 
security and stabilit y. The EU demands that the Russia n Federation  immediately ends this aggression 
and withdraws its troops and fully respects of Ukraine 's sovereignty and its territorial integrity.  
4.103.   Pakistan is an important partner for the EU. Our bilateral relations are gui ded by the 2004 
Cooperation Agreement on Partnership and Development and by the EU -Pakistan Strategic 
Engagement Plan, signed in June  2019. This platform offers a political framework for enhanced 
dialogue and cooperation across a wide range of areas includ ing political cooperation, security, 
governance, human rights, migration, trade and investment, sustainable development, education, 
science , and technology.   
4.104.   The EU supports Pakistan 's integration into the world economy as well as the Pakistani 
Government 's on-going economic reform agenda, currently in consultation with the international 
financial institutions.   
4.105.   The EU and its member States are also important development partners for Pakistan. 
Together they provide the country with about EUR 700 million per  year for development and 
humanitarian assistance.  
4.106.   Trade too plays a significant role in our relationship. The EU is Pakistan's second  largest 
trading partner and its main export destination, accounting for 28% of Pakistan 's exports. These 
exports consist mainly of textile and clothing (75.4% of Pakistan's total exports to the EU in 2020) 
and reflect the fact that the te xtile industry is the backbone of Pakistan's industry.  
4.107.   Pakistan is a beneficiary of the EU 's special incentive arrangement for sustainable 
development and good governance (GSP+) which was granted on 1  January  2014. Since then, 
Pakistan has become the GSP+ country with the largest share of eligible imports and the highest 
preference utilisation rate among all GSP+ beneficiaries (97%). GSP+ plays an important role in 
helping Pakistan with its internal process of reforms and human rights improvement, and in 
supporting the diversification of its export base, given that Pakistan's trade preference utilisation 
rate remains highly concentrated on the apparel and clothing sectors.  
4.108.   The EU would like to invite Pakistan to further elaborate on the product diversificat ion 
measures it is taking with a view to scale up the trade benefits provided under GSP+ status to the 
local business communities and workers. What tangible results have been achieved so far under the 
current schemes and incentives offered by Pakistan to i mprove export competitiveness in other 
sectors with higher value -added products?  
4.109.   The EU concurs with both the Government's and the Secretariat's report that Pakistan 's 
ongoing efforts in implementation of critical structural reforms should be complemented by further 
actions to address its long -standing structural weaknesses and fiscal imbalances. This also requires 
increased efforts for a more favourable and predictable trade and investment environment, so as to 
strengthen its macroeconomic resilience and f urther integrate Pakistan 's output into regional and 
global value chains.  
4.110.   Pakistan continues to apply export duties and restrictions on a number of products, and in 
particular those on hides/skins and molasses negatively affect EU producers. These export 
restrictions can also undermine the potential benefit of the GSP+ regime. Despite some small 
positive developments, no significant progress has been made so far and the EU would therefore 
like to know when these export restrictions will be removed?  
4.111.   Pakista n is practicing a policy of import compression since 2018, due to its burgeoning trade 
deficit. The imposition of a 100% cash margin requirement on imports of certain non -essential goods 
and the "temporary " duties on the so called luxury products are detri mental to EU exports to 
Pakistan. The EU would therefore invite Pakistan to review this policy and in order to provide a level 
playing field.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  4.112.   The EU and Pakistan share a strong commitment to the WTO 's rule -based multilateral trading 
system. I hope that Pa kistan 's Trade Policy Review will reflect that the country remains committed 
to a long -term agenda of trade liberalization.  
4.113.   We welcome that Pakistan actively participates in the key multilateral MC12 files, as well as 
in the initiative on MSMEs. We regret,  however, that Pakistan is not seizing the opportunities 
provided by the Joint Statement Initiatives to advance international rule -making in areas that are 
key to the modernization of our economies. The EU looks forward to further engaging with Pakistan 
with the aim to preserve, strengthen and reform the WTO.  
4.114.   The EU is confident that the present Trade Policy Review will be seized by Pakistan as a good 
opportunity to seek feedback from the Membership on the means to further develop an ambitious 
trade and in vestment agenda, which will in turn also enable its deeper integration into the world 
trading system.  
4.115.   On behalf the EU, I wish Pakistan a very productive and successful Review.  
TURKEY  
4.116.   Before my statement, I would like to touch upon the recent tragic developments in our 
region. We reject the unjust and unlawful attack against Ukraine.  Our firm support for the unity, 
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine will continue.  This mil itary aggression causes a huge 
humanitarian crisis.  We reiterate our call for an urgent humanitarian pause, dialogue and diplomacy.  
4.117.   To this end, we are in close contact with Ukraine and the Russia n Federation . Upon our 
initiatives and intensive diplomatic efforts, Foreign Ministers of Ukraine and the Russia n Federation  
have met on the margins of Antalya Diplomacy Forum, on 10  March.  
4.118.   Lastly the negotiating delegations of the Russia n Federation  and Ukraine met in İstanbul 
yesterday.  The talks in İstanbul yiel ded the most significant progress since the military aggression 
began. We will continue these efforts with a view to restore peace and stability in our close 
neighbourhood.  
4.119.   Turning to my statement, we warmly welcome H.E.  Muhammad  Sualeh  Ahmad  Faruqui, 
Federal Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and his delegation, participating to this meeting today 
both virtually and in person.  
4.120.   We would like to thank the Secretariat and Government of Pakistan for their detailed reports 
as well as our discussant Dr Bettina Waldmann of Germany for her invaluable remarks.  
4.121.   As stated in the reports, since Pakistan's previous Trade Policy Review in 2015, significant 
efforts for improving economic fundamentals and strengthening macroeconomic resilience have been 
undertaken.  
4.122.   During the pandemic, Pakistan's effective response measures helped mitigate its impact on 
the economy. Pakistan 's economy, after a limited contraction during 2019 and 2020, rebounded 
rapidly to near 4% growth in 2021. It is clear that Pakistan's economy has s hown remarkable 
resilience against the challenges of the pandemic. Pakistan's GDP annual average growth rate for 
the period 2014 to 2021 stood at 3.8%, marking an increase from previous performances.  
4.123.   Despite being the fifth largest country in the world in terms of population, it has so far 
successfully avoided high morbidity and mortality rates.   
4.124.   We commend the trade and investment related structural reforms and policy measures 
undertaken by the Pakistani Government during the review period.  
4.125.   These reforms and measures focused on bolstering governance, efficiency, and the business 
climate in several areas.   WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  4.126.   Trade and investment initiatives also include implementation of TFA commitments, 
modernisation of bord er crossing points, regulatory modernization efforts and preparation of several 
sectoral policies.  
4.127.   Turkey  highly values Pakistan 's strong commitment to the multilateral trading system and 
active participation to our work here at the WTO.  
4.128.   We welcome Pakist an's ratification of the Trade Facilitation Agreement in 2015 and 
implementation of most of its TFA commitments (86 .1%). 
4.129.   We are confident that despite the challenges Pakistan will continue to strengthen its 
macroeconomic stability, remove distortions and c reate a conducive environment for investment.  
4.130.   Located at the crossroads of South  Asia, West  Asia, Central  Asia and Western  China, 
geostrategic importance of Pakistan is obvious, multifield  and set to increase further on the global 
horizon in forthcoming ye ars. 
4.131.   Both T urkey  and Pakistan are playing crucial roles in their respective regions, specifically in 
view of the rapidly changing geopolitical and geo -economic dynamics.  
4.132.   Enjoying deep -rooted historical and cultural ties which stand the test of time, T urkey  and 
Pakistan ha ve excellent political, economic and cultural relations, as shown by frequent high -level 
visits.  
4.133.   The High -Level Cooperation Council mechanism was established between the two  countries 
in 2009. With a view to further bilateral relations in every field, this  mechanism was upgraded to 
High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC).  Sixth meeting of the High -Level Strategic 
Cooperation Council was held in Islamabad on 13  and14 February  2020 under the chairmanship of 
H.E. Recep  Tayyip  Erdoğan and H.E.  Imran  Khan. Within this mechanism, 73  agreements and 
documents have been signed so far.  
4.134.   Bilateral trade volume reached over USD 1.14 billion in 2021 despite the pandemic and 
marked its biggest jump since 2011.  
4.135.   Turkey  and Pakistan are determined to further  complement the excellent political relations 
with deepening economic and trade cooperation.  
4.136.   Before concluding, we thank again Ambassador  Piracha for his active contributions to our 
work and his constructive engagement in the negotiations under this roof. We also commend his 
outstanding team in Geneva for the excellent cooperation between our delegations.  
4.137.   We wish Pakistan successful completion of its fifth  Trade Policy Review.  
COSTA  RICA 
4.138.   I would like to echo the words of welcome extended to the delegation o f Pakistan, headed 
by the Federal Secretary of Commerce, Mr  Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad Faruqui, Ambassador Piracha, 
and their teams, who join us today virtually and in person. We extend our thanks to the Secretariat 
for the report and to the discussant for her presentation.  
4.139.   Turning now to the subject of this meeting, as a founding Member of the WTO, Pakistan has 
played a leading role in shaping the system and in the negotiations for the reform of the WTO, 
especially in the area of agriculture. In this area, Cost a Rica and Pakistan share a common vision on 
the importance of agricultural trade as a source of employment and prosperity and, together with 
other Members of the Cairns Group, continue to push for ambitious outcomes for agricultural trade 
reform.  
4.140.   Costa Ri ca also agrees with Pakistan on the importance of active participation in the WTO to 
generate new ideas and create an organization that is responsive to new challenges as they arise. 
Costa Rica welcomes Pakistan's work in the area of electronic commerce an d its participation in the WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  Joint Ministerial Statement on Investment Facilitation for Development, and the Declaration on the 
Establishment of a WTO Informal Work Programme for MSMEs. We also welcome Pakistan's 
implementation and ratification of the Agreem ent on Trade Facilitation.  
4.141.   Costa Rica recognizes Pakistan's leadership role in various WTO committees with a view 
towards ensuring inclusive multilateralism, although we note with concern that Pakistan still has 
outstanding notifications in a number of are as, including export subsidies, import licensing, 
subsidies, sanitary and phytosanitary measures and technical barriers to trade. We urge Pakistan to 
catch up on its commitments as soon as possible.  
4.142.   At the domestic level, the Secretariat's report highlight s Pakistan's efforts to improve its 
economic fundamentals through structural reforms related to improving governance, efficiency and 
the business environment. It also highlights the work carried out during the pandemic to reduce the 
negative impact on the economy. That said, there are also macroeconomic challenges, which, if not 
addressed in time, could increase endogenous risks, especially in an international environment that 
has recently received significant price shocks. The Secretariat's report points t o the existence of 
fiscal imbalances, high inflation rates and a rising unemployment rate that has not been contained 
in the face of the adverse effects of the pandemic. We hope that the reforms initiated to address 
these challenges will soon yield results  and standardize these indicators.  
4.143.   At the trade level, we are pleased to learn that the share of trade to GDP has increased and 
reached 28.2% of GDP in the period 2020 –2021. While this is a small increase, it reflects Pakistan's 
continued interest in stren gthening its integration into international trade. Furthermore, there is a 
high degree of concentration of trade in a few partners and products, which increases the 
vulnerability of the economy to external shocks. We urge Pakistan to continue working towar ds 
market and product diversification, as well as to explore ways to take further advantage of existing 
regional trade agreements. Further liberalization of the foreign investment regime can also enhance 
Pakistan's comparative advantages if restrictions in  key sectors for employment and growth such as 
agriculture, banking and construction are removed.  
4.144.   Significant gains can also be made by revising the export development surcharge and 
eliminating the regulatory duty that results in an export tax. There is al so room to work on the 
simplification of the tariff regime, which remains complex with more than 13 ad valorem  rates and 
20 different specific rates. That said, Costa Rica welcomes efforts to reduce tariff burdens on key 
inputs for the domestic industry wi th the consequent reduction in the average MFN tariff from 14.3% 
in 2015 to 12.1% in 2022. These are good signs that Pakistan can continue to strengthen at the 
WTO level through its integration into initiatives such as the expansion of the Information Tech nology 
Agreement.  
4.145.   Pakistan also faces important challenges to ensure that it takes greater advantage of 
international trade opportunities, including reviewing its fiscal policy to facilitate, simplify and make 
the tax process more transparent, and aligning  its domestic production incentive scheme to create 
a more competitive environment with clear rules and in tune with trade facilitation. In this 
connection, there is an uneven playing field, for example between State -owned enterprises and 
private enterpris es, which, if addressed, would help to increase productivity, investment and the 
development of a more dynamic private sector.  
4.146.   Pakistan also needs to increase the productivity of its agricultural sector and ensure its 
resilience to new international market requirements and increasing non -tariff barriers with a direct 
impact on export capacity. In this area, the Secretariat's report draws attention to the large number 
of regulations and policies to which the sector is subject, including t he application of relatively high 
ad valorem  tariffs. Moreover, the services sector is an important driver of development for Pakistan. 
In this regard, we invite the country to join the Declaration on the Conclusion of Negotiations on 
Services Domestic Reg ulation presented last December in the WTO. We also welcome the dynamic 
role of telecommunications in Pakistan. On this subject, Costa Rica shares the objective of becoming 
a knowledge -based information society and will closely follow the development of it s policies for 
reducing the digital divide and managing the radio spectrum.  
4.147.   As part of this review, Costa  Rica submitted questions on Pakistan's patent policies, 
digitalization of data and trademark registrations, copyright protection, and the role of the 
Intellectual Property Office. We thank Pakistan in advance for its replies. We will also follow with WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  interest the implementation of its policies on digitalization, productive diversification, regulation of 
the services sector and adaptation to climate chan ge, especially in relation to agricultural, fisheries 
and energy sustainability.  
4.148.   Lastly, I would like to thank Pakistan once again for its report and for today's presentation. 
We wish the country every success in this Trade Policy Review.  
THAILAND  
4.149.   Thailand  is delighted to participate in the fifth Trade Policy Review of Pakistan.  We wish to 
extend our warm welcome to the delegation of Pakistan led by  Mr Muhammad  Sualeh  Ahmad  
Faruqui , Federal Secretary  of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and his team.  
4.150.   We would like to thank Ambassador Ángel  Villalobos  Rodríguez of Mexico for your leadership 
as the Chair of Trade Policy Review and Ambassador  Bettina  Waldmann  of Germany, for providing 
insightful comments as  discussant. We also thank the Government of Pakistan and the WTO 
Secretariat  for their useful and comprehensive reports.  
4.151.   Pakistan and Thailand formally have had a long -standing relationship since 1951  and we 
were delighted to celebrate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations in  2021.  
4.152.   With more than 220  million population and natural resource abundance, Pakistan  is 
unquestionably a country with enormous potentials. Furthermore, Thailand  commends Pakistan for 
her relatively liberal investment  regime and the recent  improvement in her ease of doing business 
thanks to several successful reforms.  Moreover, with its strategic location, the country looks set to 
become major  transportation hub connecting South  Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia.  
4.153.   Pakistan is the 2nd largest trading partner of Thailand in South  Asia and the 36th trading 
partner of Thailand globally in 2021. In the past three  years, the average  total trade value between 
the two  countries amounted to approximately USD 1.45 billion  per year and is on the rise as the 
bilateral trade amounted to USD 1.79 million in 2021. Motor vehicles and parts, electrical machinery, 
plastics,  and chemical products dominate the shipments from Thailand, while petroleum  oil, seafood, 
and clothing and accessories are Pakistan 's top exports to Thailand.  
4.154.   Thailand and Pakistan have shared similar views on various regional and global  issues and 
are among strong supporters of multilateral and regional cooperation. Thailand 's "Look West " policy 
complements ni cely with Pakistan 's "Vision East " policy which would lead to a wide scope for 
expanding the bilateral relations.  
4.155.   In this regard, Thailand recognized the Thailand -Pakistan Free Trade Agreement negotiation 
which has been in progress since 2013. Once effective, the FTA will deepen our trade and economic 
ties in all fronts and is expected to increase the bilateral trade by USD 200 million to USD  300 million 
per year. W e are looking forward to concluding the FTA negotiation with Pakistan at the earliest 
opportunity.  
4.156.   Not only the FTA, significant cooperation between the two  countries includes the signing of 
a memorandum of understanding between the investment boards of th e two  countries on sharing 
investment information and technical assistance. A Thai -Pakistan Chamber of Commerce has also 
been established since 2005 and the Joint Trade Committee since 2013 to facilitate trade and 
investment between the two  countries.  
4.157.   Thailand welcomes Pakistan 's efforts to reduce the country 's tariff rates, resulting in the 
reduction of the average applied MFN tariff rates from 14.3% in 2014 -15 to 12.1% in 2021 -22. 
Nevertheless, the tariff regime of Pakistan still remains complex, involvin g a multiplicity of rates. 
The country has bound 97% of its tariff lines where among the unbound lines are motor vehicles 
which are subject to 100% applied tariff rate. Regulatory duties imposed on nearly 600  products 
also add to the complexity of the coun try’s tariff regime.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  4.158.   In this review, Thailand has submitted a number of questions on various areas of Pakistan's 
trade and economic policy, and we thank Pakistan in advance for responding to our questions and 
look forward to thoroughly reviewing them.  
4.159.   Lastly, Thailand recognizes the active role by Ambassador Dr  Muhammad Mujtaba P iracha  
and his substantial contribution as a previous Chair of the Committee on Trade and Development. 
Under his leadership, Pakistan has played a crucial role in various WTO fora, notably agriculture and 
fishery subsidies negotiations. We look forward to increasing our cooperation with the Mission of 
Pakistan to advance o ur mutual interest and strengthen our partnership at all levels.  
4.160.   Thailand wishes Pakistan a successful Trade Policy Review.  
JAPAN  
4.161.   Japan has condemned the Russia n Federation's  aggression against Ukraine in the strongest 
terms, as it clearly infringes upon Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, constitutes a serious 
violation of international law prohibiting the use of force, and is a grave breach of the United Nations 
Charter. Japan has also strongly urged the Russia n Federation  to cease the attac k and withdraw its 
forces back to the Russian  Federation's  territory immediately. Japan stands in solidarity with Ukraine 
and its people, together with the international community.  
4.162.   Japan welcomes the delegation of Pakistan, headed by Mr Muhammad Sualeh Ahm ad 
Faruqui , Federal Secretary of Commerce. Japan would also like to thank the WTO Secretariat and 
the Government of Pakistan, for their reports submitted for this review process, and the discussant, 
Ambassador Waldmann of Germany, for her insightful remark s. 
4.163.   Japan appreciates Pakistan 's efforts to prepare for and participate in this review in spite of 
the difficulties imposed by the ongoing pandemic. According to the Secretariat 's report, although 
Pakistan 's GDP growth rate has recovered in the wake of COVI D-19, structural issues such as 
inflation still need to be addressed. We look forward to seeing Pakistan achieving economic growth 
through the improvement of its business and investment environment and its fiscal situation.  
4.164.   Today, Japan would like to share  its views on three specific areas.  
4.165.   First, on our bilateral economic relations, Japan and Pakistan have traditionally maintained 
friendly relations based on economic cooperation.  
4.166.   Trade and investment continue to be an important part of that cooperation. F or example, 
exports of mangoes and other agricultural products from Pakistan to Japan have been growing. 
Furthermore, in addition to the traditional automobile industry, several Japanese companies in the 
food industry have entered the market in recent year s and have been making steady progress. In 
order for these Japanese companies to expand their operations in Pakistan, it is essential to develop 
a stable and predictable investment environment. The Japan -Pakistan Investment Agreement, which 
came into effec t in 2002, has played a significant role in developing such an environment. Japan 
looks forward to the continued stable operation of the agreement, and will continue to support the 
promotion of further investment in Pakistan and the promotion of Pakistan 's exports.  
4.167.   Second, as for engagement in the negotiations at the WTO, we value Pakistan 's active 
participation in the Joint Statement Initiatives (JSIs) since Japan believes that the use and promotion 
of the negotiations by like -minded Members is key to impr oving the function of the WTO 's rules 
negotiations. Given the significant contribution of the services sectors to Pakistan 's economic growth, 
we look forward to Pakistan 's participation in the Joint Initiatives on Services Domestic Regulation 
and on E -Commerce. 
4.168.   Third, on Pakistan 's business environment, we understand from the Secretariat 's report that 
Pakistan is promoting trade and domestic reforms and foreign investment that will contribute to the 
country 's economic growth. At the same time, we feel obliged to point out that the lack of 
transparency and predictability surrounding the country 's taxation system and regulations are 
negatively impacting Pakistan 's investment environment.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  4.169.   For example, Japan views as problematic the imposition of a regulat ory duty on imports 
under the Statutory Regulatory Orders and the lack of refunds for income tax exemptions in Special 
Economic Zones. We call for improvements to this situation and urge the Government of Pakistan to 
proceed with stable policymaking and tr ansparent and systematic policy management.  
4.170.   In conclusion, Japan appreciates Pakistan 's active participation in today 's TPR and in the 
WTO agenda as a whole. We wish the Pakistan delegation a successful and fruitful Trade Policy 
Review.  
MALAYSIA  
4.171.   Malaysia welcomes the opportunity to participate in Pakistan 's fifth Trade Policy Review.  
4.172.   At the outset, we wish to warmly welcome Mr  Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad Faruqui, Federal 
Secretary  of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and his delegations, both in Islamabad and Gene va. 
Our appreciation also goes to the Secretariat in preparing the comprehensive review reports, as well 
as the discussant, Ambassador Bettina Waldmann of Germany, for her insightful remarks.  
4.173.   Malaysia would like to commend Pakistan for the various policies  and initiatives implemented 
during the review period to modernize and reform its economy, especially on the implementation of 
the National Tariff Policy (NTP) 2019 -2024 and the ratification and implementation of the WTO Trade 
Facilitation Agreement (TFA) since 2015. We also note that the establishment of Pakistan Single 
Window has greatly improved the efficiency of Pakistan 's customs procedures and trade facilitation.  
4.174.   Malaysia and Pakistan have enjoyed a cordial trade partnership since the Malaysia -Pakista n 
Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (MPCEPA) entered into force in 2008. In 2021, Pakistan was 
Malaysia 's third largest trading partner and export destination and the second  largest source of 
import among the South  Asian countries. Total trade in 2021 increased by 34.8% to 
USD 1.90 billion, from USD  1.39 billion in 2020. In the same period, Malaysia 's exports to Pakistan 
increased by 25.9% to USD  1.44 billion compared to USD  1.13 billion in 2020, while imports 
increased by 73.2% to USD  0.46 billion compared to USD  0.26 billion in 2020.  
4.175.   On the investment front, as of December 2021, 45  manufacturing projects worth 
USD 345 million with participation from Pakistan had been approved and these projects are expected 
to generate close to 3,500  new em ployment opportunities.  
4.176.   For this current review, Malaysia had submitted written questions on areas such as 
government procurement, investment, intellectual property rights, automotive sector , and electronic 
commerce.  
4.177.   We would like to take this opportunity  to thank the delegation of Pakistan for responding to 
our questions and we shall examine the responses with great interest.  
4.178.   We wish the delegation of Pakistan a productive and successful fifth Trade Policy Review.  
ARGENTINA  
4.179.   We would like to join other Members in welcoming the delegation of Pakistan, headed by 
Mr Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad Faruqui, Federal Secretary of Commerce.  
4.180.   We thank Pakistan and the Secretariat for their reports, which provide a comprehensive 
overview of this Member's trade policies. We also thank H.E.  Ambassador Ms  Bettina Waldmann for 
her observations and comments, which have enabled us to deepen our understanding of Pakistan's 
trade practices and its economic environment.  
4.181.   Pakistan is an important trading par tner for Argentina. According to provisional data for 
2021, bilateral trade was USD  178.3  million, up 11.4% from 2020. Argentine exports were worth 
USD 131.3  million, and imports were USD  47 million. We export mainly cotton, animal or vegetable 
fats and oi ls, vegetables, plants, roots and tubers and pharmaceutical products to Pakistan. In turn, WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  Pakistan supplies us with synthetic fibres, toys and sporting goods, cotton and plastic and plastic 
products.  
4.182.   In recent years, trade between our countries has increa sed. However, it is still far from 
reaching its full potential. We believe that great opportunities remain for trade in food, agricultural 
machinery and high value -added systems or products leading to increased land yields, storage and 
transport of crops a nd livestock breeding.  
4.183.   There is also potential for increased trade in pharmaceuticals. In 2021, Argentina exported 
USD 3.1 million worth of pharmaceutical products to Pakistan. On this point, it is worth mentioning 
the joint venture formed in 2005 between the Argentine company Bagó S.A. and its Pakistani 
counterpart, Ferozsons, for the production of generic medicines in the field of oncology and 
hepatology, through the establishment of BG Biosciences Limited.  
4.184.   We also take this opportunity to emphasize Argen tina's desire to continue expanding its 
trade relations with Pakistan through sanitary negotiations for market access for products such as 
bovine embryos, bovine breeding stock, salted hides, combed wool, potatoes, sorghum, soybean 
flour, peanuts, sunflowe r seeds and maize.  
4.185.   Regarding the economic situation in Pakistan, Argentina is pleased to note that, thanks to a 
proactive set of measures, Pakistan has been able to cope with the COVID -19 pandemic. In addition, 
we highlight the Government's initiatives to improve macroeconomic resilience. We therefore 
welcome, inter alia, steps taken to further improve and strengthen the intellectual property regime, 
efforts to improve the transport sector, as is being done through the 2018 National Transport Plan, 
and poli cies that have stimulated strong growth in the manufacturing sector.  
4.186.   We agree with Pakistan that there is a need to work in a responsible and constructive manner 
within the WTO to strengthen the rules -based multilateral trading system. We welcome Pakistan' s 
active participation in the activities and bodies of this Organization. In particular, we highlight its 
participation in the agricultural negotiations, in which we in the Cairns Group have historically 
promoted the reform of agricultural markets.  
4.187.   We also  wish to take this opportunity to reiterate our intention to work together with Pakistan 
and all other Members at the postponed MC12 to achieve tangible outcomes aimed at creating a 
fairer multilateral trading system that responds to the needs of developin g countries.  
4.188.   Furthermore, we reiterate that Argentina stands ready to consolidate our bilateral ties in the 
fields of agricultural cooperation and sanitary and phytosanitary cooperation.  
4.189.   As part of this Trade Policy Review, we have submitted questions to P akistan regarding its 
sanitary and phytosanitary procedures, its labelling requirements and its established procedure for 
registering foreign certification bodies. We have also submitted questions on its tariff bindings, its 
implementation of the single wi ndow and customs improvements, its new legislation on 
anti-dumping duties and its regime on contingency measures. We thank Pakistan in advance for its 
replies, which will be duly studied by our authorities in Buenos  Aires.  
4.190.   In addition to reiterating our ap preciation for this renewed opportunity to exchange 
reflections on Pakistan's trade practices, we would like to draw attention once again to the 
importance of all aspects of this exercise in transparency. We wish the Pakistani authorities a 
successful conc lusion to this review.  
UNITED  KINGDOM  
4.191.   On behalf of Her Majesty 's Government, I am pleased to welcome the Pakistan delegation 
led by Mr  Muhammad  Sualeh  Ahmad  Faruqui, Federal Secretary of Commerce in the Ministry of 
Commerce and thank Pakistan for its active engagement in this Trade Policy Review.  
4.192.   As we meet here to talk about how we further trade between WTO Members we cannot sit 
by and ignore the egregious violations of international law  and the UN  Charter committed by one 
WTO Member against another. And we have seen the direct consequences of the WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  Russia n Federation's  actions here – impeding the ability of Ukraine to fully participate in the work of 
this institution.  
4.193.   While the Russia n Federation  continues to violate international law, human rights and 
multiple commitments to peace and security, we will work with our allies and partners across the 
multilateral system to condemn the Russia n Federation's  appalling actions and to isolate it on  the 
international stage.  
4.194.   Returning to the focus of this meeting, I am pleased to say the bonds between the 
United  Kingdom and Pakistan are strong. They are based on shared historical and cultural 
relationships, and a thriving 1.6  million -strong diaspora community in the UK, with over 
half-a-million annual visits in both directions and 100,000  British Nationals in Pakistan. Total trade 
in goods and services (exports plus imports) between the UK and Pakistan was GBP 3.4 billion in the 
year to the end of Q3 2021, an increase of 16.8% or GBP 415 million from the year before, to the 
end of Q3 2020. In the same period, Pakistan 's exports to the UK increased by 31.8% demonstrating 
an established trade relationship which is continuing to grow.  
4.195.   We want to encourage  Pakistan to take less restrictive trade policies to increase its ability to 
trade globally and create stronger relationships with new and existing trading partners. We want to 
congratulate Pakistan on their push to bring about business environment reforms. More can be done 
here to reverse the perception of a risky inve stment climate which has led to capital flight, and 
compromised Pakistan's ability to attract investment. The pandemic has boosted textile and IT 
exports, and Pakistan 's low labour costs and human capital are an opportunity to supply a broader 
range of goo ds and services to the world.  
4.196.   Pakistan underperforms on value and diversity of exports compared to other countries in the 
region. The UK therefore encourages Pakistan to proactively put in place an export growth strategy, 
rather than import restrictions, t o rectify this situation.  
4.197.   The UK suggests that, in order to attract investment into Pakistan, it should look to prioritise:  
• reducing bureaucracy and red -tape and lowering the time and financial costs to businesses.  
• improving the regulatory framework, to e nsure that it is effective, transparent, protects 
rights and upholds standards, and is fairly enforced.  
• creating effective and empowered institutions which can drive forward the reform agenda, 
champion the needs of businesses, and coordinate effectively.  
4.198.   At the WTO, we want to encourage Pakistan to notify more. As specifically addressed in our 
advance written questions, outstanding notifications include agricultural exports, import licensing 
procedures, and subsidies. The UK is sympathetic to capacity limi tations due to the C OVID -19 
pandemic. However, the importance of these crucial transparency obligations cannot be overstated, 
and we hope that Pakistan will prioritise this in the future.  
4.199.    The United  Kingdom would like to thank Pakistan for its participati on in the Informal MSMEs 
Working Group. However, we note that Pakistan is not party to any other Joint Initiatives. The UK 
would welcome Pakistan 's engagement in the Joint Statement Initiatives and the three  trade and 
environment dialogues. We also encoura ge Pakistan to join the GPA as soon as possible, having 
been observer since 2015.  
4.200.   We are keen to support an enhanced UK -Pakistan economic partnership. Our ambition to 
scale-up rapidly is based on three separate but interlinked pillars to build a strong and open economy 
through bilateral development assistance; using our investments to accelerate new infrastructure 
investment; and initiating a new bilateral Trade Dialogue, whi ch aims to have a transformative effect 
on bilateral trade, doubling it to GBP 6.6 billion by 2025. We believe that with our support and a 
joint effort the UK can ensure Pakistan will succeed. A concerted effort to improve the business 
environment and intr oduce reforms conducive to a competitive business environment with fewer 
administrative barriers, an enhanced regulatory framework and stronger governance is key to 
success.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  4.201.   I would like to conclude my statement by noting our appreciation for the excellent  work of 
the Secretariat in preparing their report, for the insightful remarks of our discussant, H.E. Dr Bettina 
Waldmann , Ambassador of Germany to the WTO, and for your contribution in facilitating this Trade 
Policy Review.  
4.202.   We likewise thank the delegat ion of Pakistan for the Government report and for their 
statement this morning. We look forward to building on the momentum of our economic partnership 
and wish them a successful fifth Trade Policy Review.  
ICELAND  
4.203.   It is with pleasure that Iceland welcomes the distinguished delegation of Pakistan, led by 
H.E. Mr Muhammad  Sualeh  Ahmad  Faruqui , to their Trade Policy Review. We also express 
appreciation to the WTO Secretariat and Pakistan for the reports prepared, as well as to the 
discussant H.E. Dr Bettina  Waldmann , for the excellent framing of the issues for our discussion 
today.  
4.204.   As the world  economy is dealing with the impact of th at COVID -19 pandemic has on the 
world economy, a new crisis has emerged.  
4.205.   This time the crisis is man -made and started with the Russian  Federation's invasion of 
Ukraine. By doing so the Russian  Federation flagrantly violates international law, undermines the 
international order that is based on multilateralism and the rule of law, which this Organization is 
based on, and this Body's role is to protect and nurture. Iceland condemns in the strongest possible 
terms, this  brutal, unjustified, and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine, which the 
Russian  Federation must end immediately. World trade is being disrupted and economies will suffer, 
especially in developing countries, including Pakistan, from the impact that the i nvasion has on food 
and energy prices.  
4.206.   Iceland welcomes the measures that the Government of Pakistan has implemented to 
counteract the impact of the COVID -19 pandemic and are outlined in the Trade Policy Review Report, 
as well as the various measures to ad dress gender equality.  
4.207.   Given the global challenges we are fronted with, it is important to keep in mind that it is a 
well-known fact that improving gender equality and empowering women, not only positively 
contributes to economic growth, as we continue to emphasis in this Body, but it also contributes to 
sustainable peace and security in many concrete ways.  
4.208.   Improved data collection and gender -based analysis are important when it comes to 
developing gender -based trade policies. So is the sharing of best prac tices of respective experiences 
relating to those policies and programmes.  
4.209.   Iceland has submitted questions on the participation of women in the economy of Pakistan 
in order to support relevant data gathering in this field and we welcome the replies as the answers 
will be useful in gathering best practices in the promotion of gender -equality within trade.  
4.210.   Iceland appreciates Pakistan's active engagement in the WTO and their continued support 
for the multilateral trading system. We wish the delegation of Paki stan every success for their Trade 
Policy Review.  
INDONESIA  
4.211.   I would like to begin by extending a very warm welcome to Pakistan's delegation led by 
H.E. Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad Faruqui, the Federal Secretary of Commerce , and let me also thank 
the discussant, H.E.  Ambassador Bettina Waldmann, for her valuable views and contribution to this 
review, as well as the Government of Pakistan and the Secretariat for their insightful and 
comprehensive reports.  
4.212.   I would also be remiss not to mention Ambassador  Muhammad  Mujtaba  Piracha for his 
wisdom and countless contributions and active role to the WTO, particularly in the G33.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  4.213.   Indonesia and Pakistan have a long history of friendship and cooperation. Despite the fact 
that the world is currently dealing with th e COVID -19 pandemic, Indonesia -Pakistan economic and 
trade relations are expanding and showing a favourable trend. In 2021, Pakistan was Indonesia's 
second  export destination and second  import source in the South  Asia region. Total trade between 
Indonesia and Pakistan reached USD  3.9 billion in 2021, with the trend of total trade between the 
two countries increasing by 6.6 % in the previous five  years (from 2017 to 2021). However, we 
believe there is still a lot of room for improvement to strengthen this rel ationship.  
4.214.   Since its last review in 2015, Pakistan has undertaken several steps to enhance its economic 
fundamentals and strengthen its macroeconomic resilience. Pakistan was also able to respond and 
mitigate the COVID -19 pandemic rather effectively, supp orted by a series of proactive and 
comprehensive economic strategies. Pakistan's GDP growth previously fell to -0.9% in 2020, then 
rebounded to roughly 4.7 % in 2021 due to promptly implemented support measures.  
4.215.   In terms of international trade, Pakistan's p roportion of trade in goods and services to GDP 
rises to 28.2 % in 2021. This reflects Pakistan's openness and integration into the world economy. 
The Government of Pakistan continues to carry out trade liberalization and facilitation, enhancing 
export comp etitiveness and reducing the cost of doing business under its Vision  2025.  
4.216.   Pakistan's participation in multilateral trade is defined by the extension of WTO commitments 
by ratifying the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and completing most of its implemen tation. 
Pakistan has also joined the WTO's Investment Facilitation for Development and Informal Work 
Programme for  micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).  
4.217.   Indonesia notes that tariffs are one of Pakistan's key trade policy instruments and a 
substantia l source of tax revenue. In light of this, Pakistan's customs tariffs remain complex, 
involving 33  different tariffs.  
4.218.   Through this Trade Policy Review, Indonesia has submitted a set of questions covering 
policies and measures of our interests, which includ es the Government's support for its export 
sectors. Indonesia observes various sectors that have received government incentives, such as 
electric vehicle manufacturing, information technology, manufacturing of mobile devices, 
automobile, pharmaceutical, fo od processing, housing and construction, logistics, textiles, and 
tourism. The Pakistan Government also offers preferential export finance schemes. Hence, we would 
like to understand further how Pakistan develops its supports and ensures its commitment to the 
WTO.  
4.219.   Furthermore, Indonesia also seeks clarification regarding safeguard measures since Pakistan 
has never undertaken any. Indonesia is interested in learning more about the safeguard provisions 
implemented by the National Tariff Commission, including how the Government imposes and reviews 
safeguard implementation.  
4.220.   Other issues that we also raised in our written submission were regarding tariff binding, as 
well as import and export restrictions on several commodities that applied to ensure adequate 
domestic supply, especially those considered essential products.  
4.221.   In conclusion, Indonesia believes that this TPR could address our concerns and enhance 
trade and economic cooperation between Indonesia and Pakistan. We look forward to Pakistan's 
response to our written questions.  
4.222.   Finally, Indonesia would like to thank the delegation of Pakistan for their hard work and wish 
Pakistan a very productive and successful fifth Trade Policy Review.  
KAZAKHSTAN  
4.223.   Kazakhstan warmly welcomes the delegation of the Pakistan led by H.E.  Mr Muhammad 
Sualeh Ahmad Faruqui, Federal Secretary of Commerce. We express our gratitude to the 
Government of Pakistan for its informative report and statement. We  would  also like to  thank 
Ambassador Bettina  Waldmann (Germany) for her insightful comments as a discussant and the WTO 
Secretariat for its comprehensive report.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  4.224.   Kazakhstan enjoys mutually beneficial cooperation with Pakistan and attaches high strategic 
importance to further st rengthening its economic and trade relations. Pakistan is a key and 
third-largest trading partner of my country in South  Asia. Particularly in 2021, our bilateral 
merchandise trade volume increased almost by 50% despite all the disruptions caused by the 
COVID-19 pandemic and amounted USD  95.1 million. Looking forward, we are ready to explore new 
growth opportunities for bilateral economic relations in the post -pandemic period.  
4.225.   In the investment front, we would like to note that to date 70  enterprises  with a Pakistan's 
capital are successfully operating in Kazakhstan. We would also like to commend the Government 
of Pakistan for the implementation since its last Trade Policy Review of an ambitious reform agenda 
aimed at strengthening trade and business environment in the country. Particularly, we would like 
to note the objective s set in the Strategic Trade Policy Framework for 2020 -25 aimed at enhancing 
Pakistan's exports competitiveness and transforming Pakistan's econo my to an efficiency -driven 
economy integrating into the regional and global value chain s. 
4.226.   Moreover, Pakistan has liberalized further its MFN tariffs from 14% to almost 12%in the last 
seven  years thanks to a National Tariff Policy for 2019 -24 which is desig ned to improve the 
competitiveness of its manufacturing sector and increasing employment opportunities.  
4.227.   We also welcome Pakistan's prompt ratification of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement 
within the review period and its hard work on the successful impl ementation of the TFA by launching 
a series of trade facilitation measures, such as the establishment o f a Single Window and Web -Based 
One Customs electronic system.  
4.228.   In this regard, we are pleased to see Pakistan's improvement in the Word  Bank's Trading  
Across Borders ranking for 58 positions.  
4.229.   Kazakhstan  notes Pakistan's constructive contributions to the WTO rules -making 
discussions. Particularly, we would like to note Pakistan's engagement in the ongoing negotiations 
on WTO's response to the COVID -19, fish eries subsidies, agriculture, MSMEs, and investment 
facilitation for development initiatives.  
4.230.   In conclusion, we would like to congratulate the delegation of Pakistan and the WTO 
Secretariat for the hard work and efforts that into preparing this TPR. We wou ld also like to express 
our appreciation to Ambassador Muhamma d Piracha  and his team in Geneva. We wish the delegation 
of Pakistan every success for the fifth  Trade Policy Review.  
MAURITIUS  
4.231.   Let me start by welcoming the delegation of Pakistan, led by Mr  Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad 
Faruqui , Federal Secretary  of Commerce and congratulating Pakistan for its fifth Trade Policy Review.  
4.232.   I also seize this opportunity to thank H.E.  Dr Bettina W aldmann  for highlighting the salient 
features of the trade policy measures t aken by Pakistan during the period under review and the 
contribution of Pakistan to  the multilateral trading system. My thanks also go to the Secretariat for 
its report.  
4.233.   We are pleased to note that the Pakistan authorities have taken appropriate measures t hat 
allowed the country to ride through the challenges related to the COVID -19 pandemic and for the 
economy to start recovering.  
4.234.   Trade and domestic reforms go hand -in-hand. In this regard, we are impressed by the 
wide-ranging reforms that Pakistan has emba rked on with a view to bolstering governance, efficiency 
and the business climate. For instance, under the National Tariff Policy 2019 -2024, Pakistan is 
expected to further reduce the average applied tariff which is currently around 12%. Furthermore, 
the e stablishment of the Pakistan Single Window and the Integrated Transit Trade Management 
System will surely further enhance and facilitate trade both regionally and internationally. We further 
commend the country for initiating regulatory reforms to moderniz e its legislative framework and 
make it more business friendly.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  4.235.   We always state that trade is not an end in itself and that the benefits of trade should trickle 
down to the people. Thus, policies and measures that ensure this indeed happens are highly 
comm endable. For instance, we note a 25% increase in the minimum wage during the period of 
review and a number of other measures to promote decent work, skills development programmes 
for the youth and female entrepreneurship.  
4.236.   We acknowledge the challenges face d by Pakistan, as a developing WTO Member, in its effort 
to expand its trade and integrat e into the global value  chains  and note that the total volume of 
merchandise trade exchange has decreased over the period of review. We, therefore, hope that the 
various reforms being undertaken will yield the expected objectives and contribute in reversing this 
trend.  
4.237.   We recognize the commitment of Pakistan to the multilateral trading system. In particular, 
we appreciate the Pakistan delegation 's active contribution to  the discussions on the WTO 's response 
to the pandemic as well as on development issues. In this regard, I take this opportunity to 
congratulate Ambassador  Piracha for having so ably steered the work of the Committee on Trade 
and Development. We will certa inly turn to him for advice as Mauritius prepares to chair that 
Committee this year.  
4.238.   Mauritius and Pakistan share strong historical and cultural ties. We have signed various 
agreements, including on trade, investment promotion, double taxation, customs mat ters, SPS, and 
standards and quality. All these provide a proper framework for trade and investment between our 
two countries.  
4.239.   The Preferential Trade Agreement concluded in 2007 has served to strengthen cooperation.  
While over the years, trade exchange bet ween our two  countries has been constant, we note that 
the balance is highly in favour of Pakistan. We hope that our friends will explore opportunities under 
the PTA to increase imports from Mauritius and close the trade gap. We also take this opportunity 
to request Pakistan to consider the removal of regulatory import duties imposed in 2017 affecting 
close to 730  tariff lines as many of these tariff lines concern our main exports to the country.  
4.240.   We look forward to further deepening our ties wit h Pakistan on the bilateral and multilateral 
fronts. Furthermore, as Africa looks forward to upscaling its engagement with major partners, 
especially following the recently launched African Continental Free Trade Area, we hope that Pakistan 
businesses will  establish regional value chains, with Mauritius being a privileged link in this context.  
4.241.   Let me conclude by wishing Pakistan a successful and fruitful review.  
DJIBOUTI  
4.242.   On behalf of the Republic of Djibouti, I would like to extend a warm welcome to the 
delegation of Pakistan and offer it our full support and wish it every success in pursuit of the work 
on this fifth  trade policy review.  
4.243.   We are pleased to participate in this review of Pakistan's trade policies, an exercise that 
represents one of the WTO's fo unding principles of transparency and predictability.  
4.244.   Djibouti thanks the delegation of Pakistan and the Secretariat of the WTO for preparing and 
presenting high -quality, detailed and useful reports. Our thanks also go to the Ambassador of 
Germany, H.E. Ms Bettina Waldmann, for presenting the Secretariat report.  
4.245.   We have listened with interest to the presentation by Mr  Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad Faruqui, 
Federal Secretary of Commerce, and would like to inform you that:  
4.246.   Djibouti congratulates Pakistan on it s continued commitment to comply with WTO 
obligations. Pakistan has taken steps to further liberalize and improve the regulatory framework for 
investment and trade, and has maintained its economic transformation through the implementation 
of a series of re forms conducive to technological innovation, foreign direct investment, and 
development.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  4.247.   Djibouti notes and welcomes Pakistan's efforts to restore its trade balance, including by 
developing a national tariff policy and a national action plan for SMEs.  
4.248.   Moreover, it appears that for Pakistan, like for a large number of countries, the economic 
and social consequences of the coronavirus pandemic constitute a major and complex challenge.  
4.249.   Djibouti is pleased to note that to deal with the effects of the economic c ontraction induced 
by the health crisis, Pakistan has brought in measures, firstly to ensure socio -economic stability 
through increased health and social welfare spending, while also pursuing macro -fiscal reforms to 
promote growth.  
4.250.   During these times of a weakened global market, when the temptation is to withdraw or 
introduce protectionist measures, often justified by the need for food security, Djibouti encourages 
Pakistan not to limit export restrictions and to further facilitate market access.  
4.251.   We wish Pa kistan every success and thank you for your attention.  
SRI LANKA  
4.252.   My delegation welcomes the delegation of Pakistan led by Hon ourable  Muhammad  Sualeh 
Ahmad Faruqui, Federal Secretary of Commerce of the Ministry of Commerce joining virtually from 
Pakistan an d in person in Geneva. We thank the WTO Secretariat and the Government of Pakistan 
for their comprehensive reports made available to the delegations in advance of this meeting.  
4.253.   Since Pakistan's previous Trade Policy Review in 2015, we acknowledge the effor ts taken by 
Pakistan for improving economic fundamentals and strengthening macroeconomic resilience. We 
realize that Pakistan is not an exception and is similar to that of those countries, it has also faced a 
significant slowdown in economic activity durin g the lockdown period, as well as it continues to face 
several challenges that hinder the full realization of its potential as a participant in international 
trade. Pakistan was able to survive the C OVID -19 pandemic comparatively well, supported by a 
proac tive and comprehensive set of economic policies and other support measures.  
4.254.   My delegation acknowledges during the review period, Pakistan 's trade and trade related 
structural reforms that focused on strengthening governance, efficiency, and the business c limate; 
reforms, supported by the IMF Extended Fund Facility, were undertaken in several areas including 
monetary, taxation, privatization, energy, competition policy, and corporate governance.  
4.255.   We noted that Pakistan pursued wide -ranging trade -related and  investment policies, based 
on its Vision  2025. Its overall trade policy objectives were embodied at its Strategic Trade Policy 
Framework (STPF) 2015 -18, and remained those of trade liberalization and facilitation, improvement 
of export competitiveness, and reduction of cost of doing business.  
4.256.   Recently, a first -ever National Tariff Policy (2019 -24), National SME Policy Action Plan  2020 
and a first E -Commerce Policy, a Pakistan Regulatory Modernization Initiative (PRMI) have been 
introduced. Further, Pakistan maintains a relatively liberal investment regime, which applies equally 
to both nationals and foreigners, and Pakistan's ease of doing business ros e significantly during the 
review period, as a result of several reforms, which are noteworthy to mention.  
4.257.   It is also significant to acknowledge that Pakistan remains committed to the rules -based 
multilateral trading system and actively participates in WT O activities. During the review period, 
Pakistan expanded its WTO commitments by ratifying the Agreement on Trade Facilitation (TFA) and 
implementing over 86% of the provisions of the WTO  TFA and improving customs clearance 
procedures. Additionally, Pakist an is also in the process of implementing a national single window 
platform.  
4.258.   Since the last trade policy review of Pakistan, it is significant that regulatory or institutional 
developments in certain areas, including trade facilitation, anti -dumping, ince ntive schemes, 
government procurement, and intellectual property rights etc. have been taken place in Pakistan. 
We noticed that Pakistan's short -term growth outlook remains robust, however, we believe WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  necessary envisaged reforms would help Pakistan to real ize its economic and welfare policy 
objectives, while integrating further into the world trading system.  
4.259.   Pakistan has been a long -standing trading partner and a close friend of Sri  Lanka in both 
bilateral and multilateral arena. Sri  Lanka acknowledges with  gratitude the unstinted support 
extended to Sri  Lanka by the Government of Pakistan in the most difficult times, to eradicate the 
scourge of terrorism from our motherland. In mid 1970s, Pakistan, was the largest buyer of Sri  Lanka 
and currently Pakistan i s the second largest trading partner of Sri  Lanka in the SAARC region. 
Sri Lanka is also the first country with which Pakistan entered into a bilateral FTA.  
4.260.   My delegation acknowledges the assistance extended by the Government of Pakistan during 
the recent visit of a Ministerial Business Delegation headed by Hon ourable  Minister of Trade of 
Sri Lanka to Pakistan in January  2022, wherein fruitful discussions have taken place on enhancing 
bilateral economic relations between the two countries, including matters  on Pakistan -Sri Lanka  FTA. 
After this visit, discussions are also on going for obtaining a possible credit line of US D 200 million 
from Pakistan to purchase essential goods considering the current foreign exchange crisis being 
faced by Sri  Lanka. Sri  Lanka greatly appreciates this friendly gesture extended by Pakistan at this 
difficult time.  
4.261.   Sri Lanka also wishes to highlight the importance of Joint Economic Commission between 
Pakistan and Sri  Lanka established in 1974, and the key bilateral engagements b etween the two 
countries held during 2021 including the 12th Session of the Joint Economic Commission, the 
7th Session of Commerce Secretary Level meeting, the 2nd Meeting of the Joint Working Group on 
Trade, Investment on auto sector and the Joint Working  Group Meeting on Customs Cooperation.  
4.262.   On bilateral trade, Pakistan was the 26th export market for Sri  Lanka and the 12th import 
partner of Sri  Lanka in 2021. Betel leaves, non -woven special yarns, smoked rubber sheets, fabrics 
etc. are the main exports from Sri  Lanka to Pakistan, while Portland cement, cotton, pharmaceutical 
products, onions, potatoes, knitted fabrics etc. have become main Sri  Lanka 's imports from Pakistan.  
4.263.   The Pakistan -Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (PSFTA) which was signed in 2 002 and 
implemented in 2005 has moderately contributed to the enhancement of bilateral trade between the 
two countries. In value wise, 68% of Sri  Lanka 's exports to Pakistan including betel leaves, 
desiccated coconut, MDF boards and black tea had been take n place under the PSFTA, while 3% of 
imports including wheat, meslin, rice, float glass, citrus fruits and steel tubes had been channelled 
to Sri  Lanka from Pakistan through the FTA in 2021. However, we believe that public and private 
sector of both countr ies should work together to gain the full potential of the bilateral FTA, as a 
substantial trade has not been taken place under the FTA since its implementation. Moreover, 
Pakistan and Sri  Lanka are members of the Agreement on South Asia Free Trade Area (S AFTA) and 
the SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA). However, unfortunately, bilateral trade under 
those regional trade arrangements remained negligible.  
4.264.   Furthermore, Sri  Lanka believes that there are many areas to be discovered to strengthen 
the bilateral relations between Pakistan and Sri  Lanka and we look forward to exploring those 
opportunities.  
4.265.   In concluding, my delegation appreciates Pakistan 's highly valued contribution to the 
multilateral trade system and its active engagement in the negot iations. As many delegations stated 
today, Pakistan 's active engagement in all key areas of negotiations leading up to MC12, and the 
willingness of its delegation in Geneva led by Ambassador Dr  Muhammad  Mujtaba  Piracha, 
Permanent Representative to the WTO and his energetic and able team, to work proactively with all 
members in consensual manner, while preserving the multilateral and developmental characters of 
the WTO, are highly commendable. Ambassador Piracha 's tenure as the Chair of the CTD, particularly  
his commitment to advance the issues of small and vulnerable economies within the CTD, is highly 
appreciated by Sri  Lanka. My delegation has been profited while working with the team in Geneva, 
as it is always a pleasure and a privilege to have worked wit h such a dedicated, capable, and dynamic 
team.  
4.266.   We wish the delegation of Pakistan a successful deliberation and productive outcomes on its 
Trade Policy Review.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  JORDAN  
4.267.   We would like to join other delegations in welcoming H.E.  Mr. Muhammad  Sualeh  Ahmad 
Faruqui , Federal Secretary of Commerce and the entire Pakistani delegation, and to congratulate 
them for the efforts in preparing Pakistan's Trade Policy Review and report.  
4.268.   Our appreciation is also extended to the discussant H.E.  Dr Bettina  Waldmann , Ambassador 
of Germany for her insightful and thorough remarks, and the Secretariat for the informative report, 
which provides a comprehensive picture of the main developments in the Pakistani trade regime for 
the period under review.  
4.269.   We congratul ate Pakistan for the continuous improvement in its economy and trade 
performance as well as its commitment to the multilateral trading system in spite of various 
challenges due to the COVID -19 pandemic.  
4.270.   Pakistan and Jordan enjoy good bilateral relations an d growing economic ties, which hold 
promising opportunities ahead for both countries. The bilateral trade between Jordan and Pakistan 
amounted in 2021 around USD 46 million and we are looking forward to increasing  it in the future 
by strengthening trade re lations and ensuring greater transparency . 
4.271.   We commend Pakistan 's commitment towards its WTO obligations, and its constructive role 
in the efforts to strengthen the multilateral trading system.  
4.272.   To conclude, Jordan congratulates the Pakistani Government and the business society for 
their achievements and would like to wish Pakistan more prosperity and a fruitful and successful 
Trade Policy Review and congratulates the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the WTO in 
Geneva , H.E. Dr Muhammad Mujtaba P iracha  and his whole team for their very constructive role in 
preserving and consolidating the multilateral trading system.  
VIET NAM 
4.273.   Viet Nam would like to join other Members in warmly welcoming the delegation of Pakistan 
led by Mr Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad Faruqui , Federal Secretary of Commerce  to its fifth Trade Policy 
Review. Viet  Nam appreciates the efforts that the Government of Pakistan and the WTO Secretariat 
have put into the reports. We would also like to express our gratitude to the discussant, 
H.E. Dr Bettina Waldmann of Germany for her insightful remarks.  
4.274.   Viet Nam commends Pakistan on its economic recovery from the pandemic as well as its 
COVID -19 effective policy response. We are pleased to note, as mentioned in the government report, 
that Pakista n's economy has shown remarkable resilience with the average GDP growth rate of 
nearly 4% in the period under review. Viet  Nam also recognizes the reforms and policy measures 
implemented by Pakistan during the review to improve investment climate, domestic  
competitiveness and to liberalize trade.  
4.275.   At the multilateral level, Viet  Nam acknowledges that Pakistan, as the founding Member of 
the GATT and WTO, fully recognizes the importance of sustainable and inclusive economic growth 
under the multilateral tradin g system as well as actively participates in the WTO. Moreover, it is 
noteworthy that Pakistan has implemented 86.1% of its WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement 
commitments.  
4.276.   At the bilateral level, we are pleased to witness the close bilateral collaboration b etween our 
two countries as well as mutual support of each other in international for a. This year marks the 50th 
anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relationship between our two  countries. The friendly and 
traditional bilateral relationship has always been developed, including in economic, trade and 
investment areas. The two  sides have established the Inter -Government Committee as well as 
signed multiple MOUs and bilateral agreements in various fields in order to boost trade promotion, 
investment and to  interlink enterprises. Pakistan has been one of our important trading partners in 
South  Asia region and bilateral trade has been robust in the past years.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  4.277.   Our bilateral trade volume reached USD 794 million in 2021, increase 50.4% compared 
with 2020, desp ite being affected by the C OVID -19 pandemic . With the current rate, bilateral trade 
is expected to reach USD 1 billion  this year. Major exports of Pakistan to Viet  Nam include textiles, 
footwear leather, plastics, seafood, pharmaceutical products, raw materials for animal feed industr y, 
etc. On the other hand, Viet  Nam mainly exports telephones, tea, pepper, cashew nuts, steel 
product s to Pakistan.  
4.278.   In the coming time, Viet  Nam looks forward to continuing our constructive cooperation with 
Pakistan. We be lieve that there are still potential and opportunities for further strengthening bilateral 
cooperation, including economic, trade and investment relations.  
4.279.   Before closing my statement, I would like to express my appreciation to H.E. Dr  Muhammad 
Mujtaba P iracha, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Pakistan and his team at the Mission 
of Pakistan to the WTO in Geneva for their active engagement, especially Ambassador P iracha  for 
his able leadership at the CTD in his capacity as Chair of the CTD. We wis h Pakistan a successful 
Trade Policy Review.  
JAMAICA  
4.280.   Jamaica extends a warm welcome to Mr  Muhammed  Sualeh  Ahmad  Faruqui, Federal 
Secretary of Commerce and the rest of the delegation of Pakistan. We thank the delegation for its 
detailed report. Jamaica also  appreciates the efforts made by you, Chair, our discussant, 
Ambassador Bettina  Waldmann, and the Secretariat to ensure the success of today 's deliberations.  
4.281.   Jamaica and Pakistan share a history of friendship and cooperation, and we look forward to 
further  deepening these ties through trade, cultural, sporting, as well as high -level political 
exchanges.  
4.282.   We note that notwithstanding the challenges presented by the ongoing COVID -19 pandemic, 
the impact of external security threats on the economy, as well as other exogenous shocks, the 
Government of Pakistan remains optimistic, and is committed to pursuing a sustainable growth 
model to address structural problems. For many developing countries, such challenges can 
significantly limit the prospects for long -term economic growth and threaten any developmental 
gains achieved. The Government, however, has indicated that fiscal performance remained 
satisfactory. This is largely attributable to the Government 's implementation of sound fiscal policy 
measures. Its effo rts to consolidate fiscal gains, restrain the debt to GDP ratio and ensure effective 
resource mobilization should be supported.  
4.283.   Jamaica commends Pakistan 's efforts to improve the investment climate, enhance domestic 
competitiveness, promote sustained indu strialisation, and liberalise trade through the pursuit of 
several reforms and policy measures. We note positively from the Government 's report that Pakistan 
is implementing a National Tariff Policy (NTP) 2019 -2024 and Strategic Trade Policy Framework 
(STPF) 2020 -2025; has updated regulations under its Pakistan Regulatory Modernization Initiative 
(PRMI); improved its supply of electricity and commend further the pursuit of programmes, such as 
the National Skills for All strategy, to boost its human capital formulation. These initiatives form part 
of the Government 's vision to transform Pakistan into an efficiency -driven economy. We encourage 
continued action by the Government to address issues related to regulatory compliance and 
productivity so that it can attract necessary foreign direct investment to support it policy pursuits 
and boost its growth prospects in this regard.  
4.284.   Any small country seeking a higher standard of living must depend on a steady expansion 
of its foreign trade to help close the gap in the balance of payments. We note that there are 
significant opportunities for trade with countries within the Asia and South  Asian region. We, 
therefore, welcome the Government 's focus on enhancing it trade with regional parties through the 
China -Pakist an Free Trade Agreement, bilateral Transit Trade Agreement with Uzbekistan, 
negotiations with Thailand, Turkey, Afghanistan, and others. We also view positively the attention 
being given by the Government to leverage the country 's strategic location to pos ition Pakistan as a 
major logistics hub in the long -run. This will augur well for the long -term expansion of trade and 
economic development of that region. We would encourage increased collaboration and dialogue 
among those countries in this regard.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  4.285.   Jamaic a is also pleased with the high priority that Pakistan attaches to its participation in 
the rules -based multilateral trading system, with the WTO as its core institution. We, therefore, look 
forward to continuing our work with Pakistan on issues of mutual interest to developing countries 
such as special and differential treatment (SDT), agriculture, reform of the WTO, and the WTO 
response to the pandemic.  
4.286.   We are also encouraged by Pakistan's efforts to implement trade facilitation measures and 
accelerate th e implementation of its commitments made in the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement 
(TFA). Pakistan currently has an implementation rate of 86.1% under the TFA. We view positively 
the establishment of a Pakistan Single Window (PSW), Web -Based One Customs elec tronic system, 
as well as improvement in the pre -arrival processing and capacity of its customs officials. These and 
other measures should be supported.  
4.287.   It is recognized that Pakistan 's growth has been impacted by years of uncertainties. We note 
that the Government has diverted much of its own resources to address these impacts. That said, 
we commend the continued humanitarian support provided by the Pakistani Government to Afghan 
refugees over the years.   
4.288.   In conclusion, Jamaica is confident that Pakistan,  with the support of the WTO, can meet its 
socioeconomic and trade policy objectives. We wish Pakistan every success for its fifth  Trade Policy 
Review.  
BOLIVARIAN  REPUBLIC  OF VENEZUELA  
4.289.   The delegation of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela cordially welcomes the presence of 
the Federal Secretary of Commerce of the Ministry of Commerce of Pakistan, Mr  Muhammad Sualeh 
Ahmad Faruqui, and all the delegation members accompanying him.  
4.290.   We would  like to thank the discussant, Ambassador of Germany to the WTO, Ms  Bettina 
Waldmann, for her analysis, which provides context, and also the Secretariat for its outstanding 
work.  
4.291.   We would like to open our statement by highlighting our ties of friendship wi th Pakistan, 
which are characterized by cordiality, complementarity and respect for the self -determination of 
peoples. We share common visions regarding development and the building of a multicentric and 
multipolar world in which trade benefits the majorit y. 
4.292.   Turning to the Secretariat report for this Trade Policy Review, we wish to highlight the efforts 
made to improve economic fundamentals and strengthen macroeconomic resilience since the 
country's previous Trade Policy Review in 2015.  
4.293.   We are pleased that Pakistan was able to weather the COVID -19 pandemic comparatively 
well, supported by a proactive and comprehensive set of economic policies and other support 
measures. However, in view of the need to build the capacity of countries to tackle the problems 
caused by the pandemic, our countries are co -sponsoring the document entitled "Proposal for a 
Waiver from Certain Provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the Prevention, Containment and 
Treatment of COVID -19" (document IP/C/W/669), which calls for a waiver for  all WTO Members 
from certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement relating to the "prevention, containment or 
treatment" of COVID -19. 
4.294.   Furthermore, as part of the WTO response to the pandemic, Pakistan and Venezuela 
are co-sponsoring the document "WTO Respons e in Light of the Pandemic: Trade Rules that 
Support  Resilience Building, Response and Recovery to Face Domestic and Global Crises" 
(JOB/GC/278/Rev.2).  
4.295.   In the context of the WTO reform process, Venezuela shares with Pakistan the vision of 
development that should prevail in this Organization. In this connection, we wish to highlight our 
co-sponsorship of the joint paper entitled "Statement on Special and Differential Treatment to 
Promote Development" (WT/GC/202/Rev.1), in which we support the defence and rec ognition of the WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
- 40 - 
 
  principle of special and differential treatment in the WTO. Another key element is the preservation 
of the principle of consensus -based decision making.  
4.296.   I would not like to conclude without highlighting the excellent work of the Ambassador of 
Pakistan to the WTO, who has played an important leadership role in the Organization. We extend 
our appreciation not only to him, but to his entire team.  
4.297.   We wish Pakistan a successful Trade Policy Review and would like to end our statement by 
reaffirmin g the bonds of friendship, cooperation, complementarity and respect for the 
self-determination of peoples between our countries, as well as our shared commitment to the 
establishment of a strong, fair and predictable multilateral trading system, based on s olidarity and 
on common and transparent rules, that may lead to the swift resolution of the issues of concern to 
the majority of this Organization's Members, in the interests of the peoples of the world.  
EGYPT   
4.298.   Egypt joins others in extending a very warm welcome to H.E.  Mr Muhammad  Sualeh Ahmad 
Faruqui , Federal Secretary of Commerce of Pakistan and the esteemed  delegation from Islamabad 
and in Geneva. We thank the Pakistani Government and the WTO Secretariat for their detailed 
report s as well as H.E. Ambassador Bettina  Waldmann of Germany for her insightful comments as 
discussant.  
4.299.   Although Pakistan's economy witnessed a negative growth in 2019 -2020 due to the 
COVID -19 pandemic, the avera ge increase  in the GDP during the review period  stood at  about 3.8 %, 
which is higher than the figures recorded in the preced ing decades. Much of th is owes to the sound  
macroeconomic policy implemented by the Pakistani Government. The Secretariat's report illustrates  
that Pakistan embarked  on a set of structural economic reforms in line with the country's Vision  2025 
strategy , including in trade and investment s, which Egypt trusts will help curb inflation, decrease 
unemployment , and control rising external debts.  
4.300.   We commend Pakistan for expanding its set of procedures covered by the online one -stop 
shop, facilitating  its tax payment system , and maintaining the liberal investment regime . Such 
measures helped improve Pakistan's ranking in the Ease of Doing Business reports during the review 
period.  
4.301.   Egypt shares  Pakistan's strong commit ment to the multilateral trading system and 
industrious  participation in the WTO . Both delegations enjoy a warm rapport and engage 
constructively in several discussions of c ommon  interest, including with respect to the long overdue  
WTO response to the pandemic  and the TRIPS waiver proposal. Moreover, Egypt congratulates 
Pakistan for implementing 86% of the Trade Facilitation Agreement provisions and further 
simplifying its customs regime and clearance  procedures. We look forward to exchang ing 
experiences concerning the conclusion  of a National Single Window platform and computerize d 
clearance system.  
4.302.   During the review period , Pakistan took several laudable  strides to improve its trade policy 
in many sectors  including  information and communications technology, transport, tourism , and 
economic commerce . In addition to other steps to enhance the enforceability of intellectual property 
rights regime , Egypt encourages Pakistan to continue in this path in order to increase its 
competitiveness and prospects to further integrate in the global economy.  
4.303.   Egypt and Pakistan enjoy very cordial and well -established ties between the Governments 
and the people , including our commercial , economic,  and cultural spheres.  Our countries ' bilateral 
trade witness ed steady increase during the period under review mainly driven by the double link of 
the Egyptian exports to Pakistan  where it peaked  in 2019 just before the start of the pandemic.  
4.304.   Egypt and Pakistan have a mutual ambition to enhance  existing levels of bilateral 
cooperation, including on the economic front . That said , we invite  Pakistan to continue expanding 
its trade and investment interactions with Egypt and nurture stronger partnerships that take 
advantage of abandoned untapped potential  in various economic sectors.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  4.305.   Finally, I conclude by wishing our Pakistani brothers a fruitful Tr ade Policy Review and all 
the blessings fo r the holy month of Ramadan.  
NEPAL  
4.306.   My delegation welcomes the delegation of Pakistan led by H.E.  Muhammad  Sualeh Ahmad 
Faruqui, Federal Secretary  of Commerce , and commends him for his insightful highlights of the Trade 
Policy Review of Pakistan this morning. I appreciate H.E.  Bettina  Waldmann , Ambassador of 
Germany for her comprehensive deliberation a s discussant of this review meeting. My delegation 
commends the Government of Pakistan and the WTO Secretariat for valuable reports.  
4.307.   While going through the reports, it is observed that the Government of Pakistan has taken 
various reform initiatives in di fferent dimensions of socio -economic development through various 
instruments.  
4.308.   Effective response to the COVID -19 pandemic and mitigating its impact on the economy is 
highly commendable in the critical situation of pandemic. Less than half a percent contrac tion in FY 
2019-20 and rebounding rapidly to near 4% growth in FY 2021 are some good evidence .  
4.309.   Efforts of the Government in reforming trade and investment regime including 
implementation of National Tariff Policy 2019 -24, implementation of 86.1% of its WTO TFA 
commitments, and many others are noteworthy. Improvement in domestic competitiveness through 
regulatory reforms, reforms in sectoral policies, skills and technical development, transit facilitation 
are highly commendable.   
4.310.   My delegation commends Pa kistan for its full commitment and continued support in 
rules-based, predictable, transparent, fair, and inclusive multilateral trading system through various 
means. Reform initiatives taken during the review period especially in legal and institutional fr onts 
for improving trade and industry regime are appreciated.  
4.311.   Let me turn to the bilateral front. Nepal and Pakistan enjoy excellent bilateral relations since 
long back which has been further cemented after the establishment of diplomatic relation in 1960 . 
Our bilateral relations are based on goodwill, mutual cooperation , and friendship.  
4.312.   Both the Governments hold similar views on many issues of common interests and work 
closely at various international and regional for a such as the UN, WTO, NAM, and SAARC.  
4.313.   Various bilateral mechanisms at different levels, and regular high -level visits have become 
further supportive in strengthening our friendly relation towards harnessing potential mutual 
benefits.   
4.314.   A Foreign Secretary level bilateral consultation mechanism to review the bilateral relations 
comprehensively, and Joint Economic Commission to promote economic cooperation between the 
two countries are some of those.  
4.315.   Trade, investment, finance, agriculture and livestock, ene rgy, health, education, culture, 
tourism, telecom and ICT, and civil aviation among others are some of the major areas where we 
have potential of mutual benefits.  
4.316.   Based on the preliminary data, Nepal imported goods from Pakistan worth of N PR 1.1 billion 
in the year 2020 while exported goods to Pakistan only worth of N PR 100.5  million in the same year.  
The trade data shows huge trade imbalance for Nepal. It can be an opportunity to work together 
further especially focusing on reducing this trade gap. Nepal l ooks forward to strengthening its 
relationship  with Pakistan in the days ahead.  
4.317.   My delegation wishes for a successful Trade Policy Review of Pakistan.  
  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  KENYA   
4.318.   Kenya joins other Members in welcoming the delegation of Pakistan led by 
H.E. Mr Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad Faruqui , Federal Secretary of Commerce, to the fifth  Trade Policy 
Review of Pakistan.  
4.319.   This Trade Policy Review comes at a time when the world is recovering from devastating 
impac t of the COVID -19 pandemic. It is noteworthy that Pakistan has demonstrated resilience and 
posted  remarkable economic recovery , thanks to its effective response to the pandemic.  
4.320.   Kenya  has longstanding cordial bilateral relations with Pakistan and collabora tion in areas 
such as education and training, tourism, information technology, and agriculture , among others. 
With respect to bilateral trade relations, Kenya imports several products from Pakistan , mainly rice, 
wheat , cotton fabrics, veterinary products , while Kenya 's exports bucket includes tea, hides , onions, 
carbonates, sacks and bags.  
4.321.   Kenya commends Pakistan for the trade and  investment -related reforms that it has initiated 
and implemented since the last Review  to address structural issues, improve domestic 
competitiveness, reindustrialize  the economy and build a stronger base. These initiatives  include the 
Strategic Trade Policy Framework 2020 -2025, which aims to enhance Pakistan's competitiveness  
and to transf orm it to an efficiency -driven economy. The National Tariff Policy which aims to liberalize 
and simplify tariff regime, implementation of its trade facilitation commitments, modernization of its 
border crossing points to integrate regional value chains, an d the sectoral reforms  and review of 
sectoral policies to address its domestic competitiveness.  
4.322.   We, therefore, look forward to constructive deliberations during this fifth  Trade Policy Review 
of Pakistan.  
 
  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  5  REPLIES BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF PAKISTAN  AND A DDITIONAL COMMENTS  
5.1.  Allow me first to thank Ambassador Ángel  Villalobos  Rodríguez  for successfully conducting our 
fifth Trade Policy Review. I would also like to warmly thank our discussant, Ambassador 
Bettina  Waldmann for her very measured and insightful comments and the hard work she put in for 
the review.  
5.2.  We are delighted at the keen interest shown by Members in our trad e policy and the positive 
and constructive feedback that we have received. On Wednesday, 31  delegations made interventions 
and until yesterday we had received well over 300  questions. We have responded to all the questions 
in writing. The positive engageme nt and review by Members will help us stick to our objectives and 
to better achieve our aims in the years to come.  
5.3.  My teams both in Geneva and here in Islamabad have worked tirelessly to address each and 
every question that was posed on our trade policy w ith meticulous detail. You would be delighted to 
know that we had more than 30  officers from over 20  ministries and departments who participated 
virtually to witness the proceedings on the first day. We hope that our efforts and the responses will 
be usefu l for you in understanding our trade policy in its true context and perspective. At the same 
time, I would like to address some of the key aspects on the main themes that were highlighted on 
Wednesday.  
5.4.  Pakistan 's review is being held in uncertain times for  the global economy and challenging 
moments for the multilateral trading system. In this situation, Pakistan 's trade policy can be viewed 
in the context of three main overarching themes.  
5.5.  First, during the review period, Pakistan has been faced with a sever e balance of payments 
crisis. We are in the middle of the 22nd IMF programme and the current fiscal space presents a 
significant challenge to meet, both domestic socio -economic needs and fulfil international 
obligations. In this context, the country has ta ken significant strides in the area of tariff 
rationalization, effective taxation, improvement in export value and diversification, and easing 
regulatory practices to provide predictability both in the trade and investment climate.   
5.6.  The Pakistan Regulatory  Modernization Initiative (PMRI) which aims at the removal of 
non-essential registrations, certificates, licenses and other documents (RCLOs) will certainly 
facilitate local and foreign entrepreneurs to conduct business in Pakistan. At the same time, SROs 
(statutory regulatory orders) are something that were raised on Wednesday and have been 
highlighted before. I would like to underscore that the method for the application of this measure 
has been amended to allow only the Federal Cabinet to take a decision  and any unpredictability has 
now been significantly reduced.  
5.7.  In the area of taxation, simplified online returns of income tax and sales tax refund have made 
businesses much easier. Indeed, widening the tax base and increasing tax revenue, as pointed out 
by our worthy discussant and some members is an ongoing process  undertaken the Government. 
This would allow the use of tariffs to remain focused on its primary utilization as an instrument 
industrial strategy.  
5.8.  Pakistan has taken several steps to make the process of tariff rationalization more predictable 
and stakehold er led through the implementation of the National Tariff Policy 2019 -24. Pakistan aims 
to continue rationalizing its tariffs with the broader aim of enhancing competitiveness of the industry, 
providing broad -based predictability and openness, and to facili tate integration into global and 
regional value chains. Similarly, any decisions taken for regulating the trade on raw materials and 
assistance of downstream industry would also be streamlined through this process in line with the 
objectives of the NTP.  
5.9.  Finally, under this theme, I would like to address the area of export diversification as 
highlighted by some esteemed Members. Increasing the product and geographical diversification of 
exports is one of the top most items on the agenda of the Government. U nder the Strategic Trade 
Policy Framework 2020 -2025 we have identified 11 new developmental sectors with an eye on 
keeping pace with technological and sustainable developments in the future. We have also launched 
a new Mobile Manufacturing Policy 2020 and an Electric Vehicle Policy 2020 -25. As a result of the 
Governments efforts, Pakistan 's exports of non -traditional products, since 2017 -18, have increased WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
- 44 - 
 
  by more than 88% in traditional markets and by 132% in non -traditional markets. We aim to 
continue on this path under STPF 2020 -25 to achieve a more diversified export basket in the years 
to come.  
5.10.  Under the second theme, allow me to present Pakistan 's regional context with a larger aim of 
trade and transport facil itation.  Pakistan finds itself in a very unique geo -strategic location. While it 
provides tremendous opportunities, the challenges have been multifarious, particularly in recent 
times. The fall -out of the protracted Afghan war, leading to an overwhelming r efugee situation, and 
restricted trade within the region have so far presented us with an uphill task. Nevertheless, while 
we have adequately shouldered more than our due responsibility in the refugee crisis, we have also 
taken several initiatives to facil itate trade and transport within the region and to benefit from larger 
regional initiatives.  
5.11.  In this regard, the Integrated Transit Trade Management System (ITTMS) project includes 
the development of state -of-the-art ICT based systems to enhance port effic iency at all land routes 
and facilitate transit trade through Pakistan via CPEC & CAREC routes. We have also taken several 
initiatives to enhance connectivity in the region from East  Asia to Central  Asia and aim to integrate 
into these regional supply chai ns. Some other significant steps include  integration of WeBOC with 
Pakistan Single Window (PSW) Portal for real -time data sharing, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) 
with regional economies/trading partners, generation of computerized e -transit reports (ETR s), and 
establishment of Pakistan Land Port Authority (PLPA) to achieve port efficiency, standardization of 
logistics costs, and reduction in cost of doing business.  
5.12.  The third  thematic perspective for our trade policy is common with recent global events an d 
the challenges faced by almost all countries of the world in wake of the C OVID -19 pandemic. Despite 
the various institutional, financial and socio -economic difficulties, coupled with the continued 
challenges mentioned above, Pakistan has managed to bounc e back in its economic trajectory 
reasonably well. This augurs well for our future engagement in a broad economic context both at 
home and at the global level.  
5.13.  During this time, we have tried to take cognizance of and addressed to a large extent some 
of the institutional issues. In particular, one issue that has been highlighted by several members 
during this review is that of our notifications. Chair, let me first assure you and the entire 
membership that Pakistan is a responsible member of the multilatera l trading community and we 
take our obligations with the utmost seriousness and are committed to fulfil the transparency 
objectives. We have, therefore made a significant effort and in the recent past have submitted 
several of our outstanding notifications . Allow me to highlight here that Pakistan is fully up to date 
with its notifications on SPS and TBT measures, something that may be corrected in the relevant 
notes and report of the Secretariat. At the same time, we also have no outstanding notifications in 
the areas of trade remedies. As I speak, my team is already working on some of the remaining 
notifications and they will be submitted to the WTO in the coming months if not weeks.  
5.14.  In the area of intellectual property, many Members have shown keen intere st. Let me highlight 
again that, during the review period, Pakistan has joined the Madrid Protocol for international 
registration of trademarks. Also, Pakistan has initiated the process for joining the Patent Cooperation 
Treaty (PCT), the Lisbon Agreement (Geneva Act) for Geographical Indications and the Marrakesh 
Treaty on copyrights for visually impaired persons (VIPs). In this context consultations with 
stakeholders are in process. Pakistan is considering joining  other WIPO Internet Treaties at an 
approp riate time. Further improvements are also under way in the local IP laws and a 
state-of-the-art enforcement mechanism.  
5.15.  Allow me to also address some of the issues that are not related to trade policy but have 
nevertheless been raised by some Members. On th e issue of corruption, it has been the foremost on 
the present government 's agenda. Pakistan 's efforts at digitization and integration of processes have 
significantly reduced human interaction. Moreover, Pakistan has taken major steps in FATF 
compliance re gime as a responsible Member of the comity of nations. In fact, using this opportunity, 
I would appeal to Members to cooperate with Pakistan in its drive against corruption.  
5.16.  Similarly, I would greatly appreciate Members who have made offers during this review, of 
greater cooperation and collaboration in the areas of biotech, research and development on 
agriculture, meat processing and other avenues of creating industrial synergies. Access to WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  investment in and devel opment of new technologies is something Pakistan looks forward to very 
keenly to face the challenges of the 21st century.  
5.17.  It is reiterated that gender mainstreaming remains a key priority for Pakistan. In line with 
SDG 5 on "Achieving gender equality and e mpower all women and girls", the Government has given 
special attention through policy interventions to empower women on both social and financial fronts.  
5.18.  Finally, let me assure you that Pakistan will continue to play its role in the WTO to uphold the 
multilateral system in its true spirit. Pakistan will be part of the dialogue to take this Organization 
forward for the achievement of greater development through trade for developing countries, building 
competitive industries and ensuring employment opportuni ties, as envisaged in the Marrakesh 
Agreement. We are seized with the requirements to modernize while upholding the cardinal 
principles and pillars of the system of non -discrimination, transparency, consensus -based decision 
making and special and different ial treatment for developing countries. We will process all new and 
existing approaches through a robust stakeholder consultation mechanism, utilizing the newly 
appointed WTO Chair, and take our decisions after a thorough and due process.  
5.19.  Allow me to reit erate here that for Pakistan, the conclusion of all outstanding issues at the 
WTO, including those from the Doha Round would be a strong signal from the Organization for its 
credibility and the ability of the Membership to take on new areas for a possible decision.  
5.20.  In the end, I would like to thank you, Chair, once again and admit that this Review has been 
an engrossing exercise for me and my delegation  and has given us the opportunity to introspect 
while presenting our country and its policies to you in a frank and open manner. I thank all the 
Members once again for their interest, and in particular, the Secretariat team and all those who 
made this TPR a success. I would welcome and look forward to the next steps in this exercise, and 
would be happy to host  the team for their follow -up debrief in the coming months. Let us also not 
forget to thank the interpreters for their tremendous work.  
DISCUSSANT  
5.21.  During the Trade Policy Review we have witnessed a remarkable interest in Pakistan 's 
economy and trade policy . Many delegations have taken the floor, posed questions and made 
valuable comments.  
5.22.  I would like to highlight a few issues that Pakistan, through the Review, be encouraged to 
address. Some of the points were also raised by H.E.  Mr Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad Fa ruqui in his 
closing statement today . 
5.23.  Numerous delegations have voiced their intent to further deepen their bilateral trade relations 
and cooperation with Pakistan in a multilateral context.  
5.24.  Members have applauded Pakistan 's ratification of the Trade Faci litation Agreement and its 
prompt implementation, its strategic trade framework and its general commitment to liberalize trade 
policy further.  
5.25.  Delegations have pointed out the potential for Pakistan to further integrate into regional and 
global trade and t o embrace international supply chains.  
5.26.  I encourage Pakistan to tap into the interest expressed and to realize its undoubted potential. 
By improving trade relations with partner countries, lowering market access barriers and tariffs, 
Pakistan has the ability to galvanize its influence as a regional and global trading actor.  
5.27.  It is positive to hear that Pakistan, as a founding Member of the WTO, is firmly committed to 
the multilateral trading system and has demonstrated its engagement in a number of area s.  
5.28.  However, Pakistan is not a Member and is not yet active in many of the major Joint Statement 
Initiatives. I would like to mirror other delegations in encouraging Pakistan to join the various JSI, 
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  and E -Commerce. This would provide Pakistan with the opportunity to help shape future international 
policies.  
5.29.  I also note that , delegations expressed their hope, that Pakistan will join the Agreement on 
Governme nt Procurement.  
5.30.  Although Pakistan 's progress has been clearly acknowledged and applauded; delegations 
pointed out some challenges remain, for example, in the area of structural reforms.  
5.31.  Questions were raised with regard to the protection of intellectual pr operty, sanitary and 
phytosanitary standards and Pakistan 's agricultural and industrial policies, to name but a few.  
5.32.  Delegations suggested that Pakistan further improve transparency, one of the founding WTO 
principles, by completing outstanding notificati ons. 
5.33.  Having been involved with this review and witnessed Pakistan 's exemplary engagement, I am 
optimistic that, at the next TPR, Pakistan will report on the reforms accomplished in the areas 
addressed.  
5.34.  Finally, I would very much like to thank and congratulate Pakistan for their active commitment 
to this review and the Members for their constructive participation. I would also like to thank the 
Secretariat for its competent preparation of the Review and t he interpreters for their continuing 
high-quality interpretation . 
KYRGYZ  REPUBLIC  
5.35.  Kyrgyz  Republic is very pleased to take part in the fifth  Trade Policy Review of Islamic Republic 
of Pakistan and wishes to extend a very warm welcome to the delegation of Pa kistan led by 
H.E. Mr Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad Faruqu i, Federal Secretary of Commerce . 
5.36.  We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to the WTO Secretariat and 
Pakistani Government for providing such a comprehensive Report of the trade policies and practices 
of Pakistan. We would also like to thank the discussant, H.E.  Ambassador Dr Bettina  Waldmann  for 
her insightful comments.  
5.37.  It is very impressive to see that despite the global crisis related to COVID -19 where the world 
output shrunk by 3 .5% Pakistan's economy contracted by less than half a percent during 2019 -20 
and rebounded rapidly to near 4% growth in 2021. It indeed reflects the effective measures taken 
by its Government. Hopefully this crisis has not affected the successful and timely  implementation 
of the Strategic Trade Policy Framework (2020 -2025) of Pakistan.  
5.38.  The diplomatic relations between our countries were established on 10 May 1992, making 
Pakistan among the first  countries to recogni ze Kyrgyz  Republic 's independence. In the same year, 
Pakistan ; the Islamic Republic of Iran;  Turkey ; Afghanistan ; and five  former Soviet Republics: 
Kazakhstan ; Azerbaijan ; Kyrgyz  Republic;  Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan started its active 
cooperation within the framework of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), which has 
become one of the largest economic organizations in the world. Pakistani Prime  Minister of that time 
Nawaz  Sharif believed that the ECO has the potential to be the successor of the historic Silk Road.  
5.39.  Since then, we have estab lished a good agreement base between Kyrgyz  Republic  and 
Pakistan in economic cooperation. To promote the development of trade and economic cooperation, 
the Intergovernmental Kyrgyz -Pakistani Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation was 
created.  
5.40.  Accord ing to our statistics, in 2021 the trade turnover between the Kyrgyz  Republic and 
Pakistan amounted to USD 8.945  million (exports  USD 1.205  million, imports  USD 7.743  million). 
Compared to the same period in 2020, trade increased by 21.1%, including an increase in imports 
by 42.6% and a decrease in exports by 36.8%.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  5.41.  In particular, the Kyrgyz  Republic has traditionally imported from Pakistan: pharmaceutical 
products, clothing made from textile and knitted fabrics, food products and agricultur al products 
(rice, tea, citrus fruits, vegetable oils , etc). In turn, Kyrgyz  Republic exported beans, live animals, 
and tanned leather.  
5.42.  However, even though both of our countries enjoy friendly and cordial relations, our business 
and economic ties have no t been adequately developed. We have been talking about exploiting the 
untapped potential of trade, but no significant results have been achieved yet. The main issue is to 
transport the tradable items between our countries.  
5.43.  Major regional connectivity and  logistics infrastructure works are well underway in Pakistan 
under the China -Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a part of the Belt and Road Initiative. As you 
know the Kyrgyz  Republic  and China share a long border. Thus, once the Pak -China Economic 
Corridor Project gets completed, it will become much more convenient for both countries to explore 
each other's markets on a regular basis. Agriculture and livestock perhaps are one of the dynamic 
sectors, common between the economies of the two  countries, whe re we can pool our resources and 
expertise to yield maximum results. There is also a big potential in services whereas in Pakistan it 
contributes to almost 60% of GDP and in turn the Kyrgyz  Republic  is successfully exporting its 
touristic and educational s ervices to the people of Pakistan.  
5.44.  Joint efforts will foster the pace of trade volume between Pakistan and  the Kyrgyz  Republic . 
Organising single country exhibitions on reciprocal basis, exchange of socio -cultural programs and 
arranging country weeks can prove vital tools for introduction and marketing of products in each 
other 's countries.  
5.45.  Taking this opportunity, the Kyrgyz  Republic would like to thank Pakistan for its active and 
constructive participation in multilateral discussions through the WTO and we wish a very successful 
Trade Policy Review to the delegation of Pakistan.  
CAMBODIA   
5.46.  Cambodia is pleased to participate in the fifth  Trade Policy Review of Pakistan and warmly 
welcomes the delegation of Pakistan led by H.E.  Mr Muhammad  Sualeh Ahmad Faruq ui, Federal 
Secretary of Commerce. Our special thanks also go to the discussant H.E.  Dr Bettina  Waldmann for 
her insightful and constructive remarks. We appreciate the reports prepared by the Secretariat and 
the Government of Pakistan which outline  recent developments in the Pakistan trade policy and 
practice.  
5.47.  At the outset, Cambodia applauds Pakistan for the sound  economic performance since the 
previous Trade Policy Review in 2015. We would like to congratulate Pakistan for maintaining its 
resilient economic performance even amidst the threat  of global economic uncertainty and the 
COVID -19 pandemic.  
5.48.  Pakistan 's annual GDP growth on a market price has basically peaked at 5.8% between 
2017-2018 to progressively decline to -0.9% between 2019 -2020 due to the pandemic. It is 
estimated at 4.7% in 2020 -2021 as a result of the timely adopted support measures and mostly 
driven by private consumption contributions  and fiscal adjustment . 
5.49.  It is also noted that Pakistan remained committed to the rules -based multilateral trading 
system and actively participates in the WTO activities , for instance, ratification of the Trade 
Facilita tion Agreement  and completing a large part of its implementation.  
5.50.  Cambodia and Pakistan 's diplomatic relation was officially established on 28  May 1952. 
Since 1956 the two  nations have cherished  a relation  based on friendship, trust, and mutual 
interests. This year – 2022 marks the 70th anniversary of establishment  of diplomatic relations 
between the two  countries.  
5.51.  In terms of trade and bilateral trade between Pakistan and Cambodia has risen slightly over 
the last five  years. In 2020 , bilateral trade was m ore than USD  32 million , which was a decrease of 
about 19.6% compared to the total trade in 2019, a value of about USD  40.31  million. In contrary, WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  the two  countr ies' trade has increased at the rate of 29% , equivalent to USD  41.76  million. In terms 
of investment , the FDI inflow from Pakistan to Cambodia has remain ed minim al. Seeing this , 
Cambodia would suggest Pakistan to increase imports from Cambodia while we vis-à-vis to increase 
Pakistan investment to Ca mbodia.  
5.52.  We thank and appreciate the delegation of Pakistan in Geneva led by H.E.  Dr Muhammad 
Mujtaba Piracha for the expansive  and good cooperation. We commend Pakistan for taking an active 
path to support the integration of LDCs into the multilateral trad ing system. In addition, Cambodia 
urges Pakistan to increase and complement one another in existing sectors ' economy in trade and 
investment as well  as tourism and education sector.  
5.53.  Finally, we commit to work closely with Pakistan and all Members in both b ilateral and 
multilateral levels to strengthen  our good cooperation for economic growth and development.  
5.54.  We wish Pakistan a successful and fruitful consultation of its fifth  Trade Policy Review.  
EUROPEAN  UNION   
5.55.  On behalf of the EU let me first thank the de legation of Pakistan for the responses provided 
to the advance questions we have submitted. We note however that some of the replies mention 
legislative and policy initiatives but do not directly address the substance of our questions. The 
exchanges in thi s TPR showed positive developments since the previous Review in 2015.  
5.56.  We recognize Pakistan's efforts in implementing structural reforms, increasing 
macroeconomic resilience, improving business and investment climate, export competitiveness, and 
diversification, as well as promoting a sustainable development and social protection.  
5.57.  However, and as mentioned also by the discussant, some challenges remain in certain areas 
and there is room for improvement in terms of Pakistan's trade and investment environment. For 
instance, we would encourage Pakistan to focus on liberalization of tra de rather than import 
compression.  
5.58.  The EU encourages Pakistan to continue and complement i ts structural reforms by taking 
further steps to address its longstanding  structural weaknesses and fiscal imbalances and we have 
taken good note of the statement thi s morning. These would include broadening the tax base  to 
reduce reliance on import duties  and hence on  high tariff rates and a complex tariff regime , a greater 
diversification of the export  base, and better integration into global supply chains.  
5.59.  We also n ote that Pakistan is active in the WTO , and we encourage further to participate in 
different strands  of work, especially  in view o f identifying landing zones for MC12. In this regard, 
engaging in the process  to reform the WTO is very important in our view,  as well as participation in 
Joint Statement Initiatives that has been mentioned several times during this Review. Like some 
other delegations , we also hope that Pakistan will start its work over the accession to the GPA in the 
near future.  
5.60.  In conclusion , the EU would like to thank the delegation of Pakistan for undertaking  this 
important transparency exercise and thus demonstrating its commitment to the multilateral trading 
system. We are confident that our good cooperation will continue.  
UNITE D STATES   
5.61.  On behalf of the United  States I would like to thank Minister Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad 
Faruqui , Ambassador Piracha here in Geneva , and the members  of the Pakistani delegation for the 
time and effort your Government invested in carrying out this succ essful Trade Policy Review.  
5.62.  The United  States also values the guidance of the Chair and discussant, and the hard work of 
the Secretariat in preparing the reports which  has made this Review possible.  
5.63.  We thank Pakistan for its responses  to our questions and we have submitted a few follow -up 
questions and we look forward to Pakistan's responses in that regard.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  5.64.  As we conclude the TPR, the United  States takes note of the Minister's statement this morning 
about Pakistan's dedication to fulfil its transparency ob ligations in the WTO and we urge Pakistan to 
fulfil its outstanding notifications promptly.  
5.65.  The United  States will explore working alongside  with Pakistan to strengthen  and deepen our 
bilateral trading  relationship and once again we congratulate the Pakistan i delegation on a successful 
Trade Policy Review.   
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  6  CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE CHAIRPERSON  
6.1.  The fifth  Trade Policy Review of Pakistan has offered us a good opportunity to deepen our 
understanding of r ecent developments in, and challenges to, its trade, economic, and investment 
policies. Since its fourth  TPR in 2015, Pakistan's initiatives to maintain its participation in the 
multilateral trading system and take advantage of the opportunities it offers were greatly 
appreciated. Indeed, the 319  advance written questions submitted by 21  Members and the 
33 delegations that took the floor during the first and second day underline the importance attached 
by Members to Pakistan's trade and investment policies and practices.  
6.2.  I would like to thank Pakistan's delegation, led by the Honourable Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad 
Faruqui, Federal Secretary of Commerce, for its active participation in this exercise. I would also like 
to thank our discussant H.E. Ambassador Bettin a Waldmann, Alternate Permanent Representative 
of Germany to the WTO, for her insightful remarks, and all the delegations that took the floor for 
their valuable contributions to this Review.  
6.3.  Members commended the resilience and growth performance of the P akistani economy in light 
of the global economic turmoil caused by the COVID -19 pandemic and the continued complex 
regional security environment. They praised the timely adoption of proactive support measures that 
allowed the economy to rebound quickly. Me mbers applauded the trade and trade -related structural 
reforms implemented under the National Tariff Policy 2019 -2024, the Strategic Trade Policy 
Framework 2020 -25, the Vision  2025, the "Emerging Pakistan" initiative, and the Pakistan 
Regulatory Modernizat ion Initiative. While acknowledging positive changes with the adoption of a 
market -determined exchange rate system, Pakistan was encouraged to revise its foreign exchange 
restrictions. Structural reforms undertaken in areas such as privatization and compet ition policy 
were praised, and Pakistan was urged to continue implementing its reform agenda. Members felt 
that efforts in the implementation of critical reforms could be complemented by further actions to 
address long -standing structural weaknesses and fi scal imbalances. Some Members invited Pakistan 
to further elaborate on measures aimed at enhancing product diversification and to further open its 
market.  
6.4.  Pakistan was praised for its constructive and valuable role at the WTO. Members appreciated 
its participation in negotiations on agriculture, fisheries subsidies, trade and environment, 
e-commerce and development, the WTO response to the pandemic discussion, co -sponsorship of 
the TRIPS waiver, the restoration of the Appellate Body and  Dispute Settlement Body, and the 
Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement. Pakistan was invited to engage in the Joint 
Statement Initiatives, including on Services Domestic Regulations, Investment Facilitation for 
Development and E -Commerce, as well as to support the Ministerial Declaration on the Advancement 
of Gender Equality and Women's Economic Empowerment within Trade, and to engage in the Trade 
and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions. Members commended Pakistan's 
ratificatio n of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and the implementation of 86.1% of its 
commitments. Its participation as observer in the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement was 
praised and Pakistan was encouraged to consider accession. Underlining that trans parency is a 
critical element at the WTO, Members urged Pakistan to address its outstanding notifications in 
several areas as soon as possible.  
6.5.  While appreciating the abolishment of nuisance tariff rates and the subsequent reduction in the 
average applied MFN tariff rate, Members encouraged Pakistan to review high tariffs on certain 
sectors. They also highlighted the complexity of the tariff and the large amount of water between 
average bound rates and the average applied MFN rates. Members appreciated Paki stan's efforts in 
improving its customs clearance procedures, including progress in the implementation of the 
Pakistan Single Window. Concerns were raised with respect to the increase in trade restrictive 
measures during the review period, including the im position of regulatory duty on imports, cash 
margin requirements, lack of refunds for income tax exemptions in Special Economic Zones, 
temporary duties and export duties and restrictions. Pakistan was invited to review its import 
compression policy so as t o provide a level playing field. While noting that Pakistan had not imposed 
safeguard measures, further information was sought regarding operation and procedures for 
implementing safeguards. Sanitary and Phytosanitary issues, including advance analysis wer e also 
raised. Certain Members asked for further information regarding current incentive schemes and their 
compatibility with Pakistan's WTO commitments.  WT/TPR/M/424 • Pakistan  
 
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  6.6.  While welcoming Pakistan joining the Madrid International Trademark system and enacting a 
Geographical  Indication Law, some Members sought further clarification on plans to accede to other 
WIPO treaties. Members acknowledged efforts to improve IPR enforcement and encouraged Pakistan 
to continue these efforts. Members sought further clarification regarding certain aspects of the 
current IP protection and enforcement regime as well as proposed changes currently under 
consideration.  
6.7.  At the sectoral level, some Members welcomed Pakistan's efforts to improve productivity in 
agriculture, and asked for further det ails on the Agricultural Transformation Program of 2021. 
Members commended Pakistan for its commitment to increase the share of renewable energy in the 
economy and its plan to phase out coal fired power plants. Concerns were expressed on the lack of 
divers ification of its exports of manufactured goods, and the import prohibition on second -hand 
commercial vehicles older than three  years. Many Members commended Pakistan for launching, 
inter alia, the National Telecommunications Policy, the National Transport Plan, and the Digital 
Pakistan Policy, as well as the Central Bank's efforts in promoting financial development to reduce 
gender gap and to boost fintech.  
6.8.  The above points are some of the key issues that had emerged in our discussion. I hope that 
the Paki stani delegation will consider and further reflect on these issues and on the many 
constructive comments, both broad and detailed, that it has received during this review. Members 
look forward to receiving the answers from Pakistan to any outstanding and f ollow up questions 
within one month, at which point the Review will be successfully concluded.  
 
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