Rs1.73bn released to TDAP so far

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Commerce was informed that nearly half (47%) of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) annual budget is spent on salaries and benefits, amounting to Rs565 million over the past six months.

The TDAP’s budget for the current fiscal year stands at Rs2.4 billion, of which Rs1.73 billion had been released by December. However, TDAP’s promotional efforts have had a positive impact, with Rs246 million allocated for promotions, which has been fully utilised.

The Senate Standing Committee on Commerce met under the chairpersonship of Senator Anusha Rehman at Parliament House to review the budget allocation and utilisation for FY2024-25 and the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) proposals submitted by the ministry.Senator Anusha Rehman appreciated the addition of 10 new trade missions and stressed the need to staff these newly created missions effectively.

TDAP officials briefed the committee on successful promotional activities, highlighting that expos such as Food Expo, Texpo, and EHCS had generated $2.42 billion in business last year. Additionally, TDAP has already participated in 44 exhibitions this year, further boosting Pakistan’s export potential globally.

Senator Anusha Rehman mentioned that the pharmaceutical sector has called for the establishment of a “Pharma Excel” initiative, urging TDAP to create a sectoral department for pharmaceuticals, including APIs (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) and nutraceuticals. In response, the TDAP secretary assured the committee that the hiring of a pharmaceutical consultant is already underway.

The session also discussed areas needing improvement in TDAP’s operations, including better facilitation of trade leads generated from theTrade Information Office (TIO). It was recommended that these leads be shared multiple times with relevant sectors to ensure effective follow-up and action.Senator Anusha Rehman emphasised the importance of better communication and support for export-orientated sectors.

Meanwhile, Senator Bilal Ahmed Khan raised concerns about the minerals sector, asking whether TDAP could give it more attention. TDAP officials clarified that they had already taken 28 sectors to exhibitions in Saudi Arabia but noted that creating 28 separate divisions within TDAP is challenging due to budgetary constraints.”TDAP has a limited budget, but we are maximising our efforts with the available resources,” said TDAP officials.

The committee praised TDAP and the ministry for their ongoing efforts to enhance trade and increase exports in line with targets set by the prime minister. The appointment of a pharmaceutical consultant and commitment to improving sector-specific engagement were acknowledged as positive steps toward fostering growth in Pakistan’s export-orientated industries.