PBC questions govt \'ambitious\' export plans

The Pakistan Business Council (PBC) has expressed surprise over the government’s ambitious plan to boost exports by 113% to $65 billion within three years. The PBC raised concerns that exporters were not consulted and questioned the measures taken to achieve this target. In a letter addressed to Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Ehsan Malik, Chief Executive of PBC—a business policy advocacy platform representing leading corporate and business groups, including foreign ones—doubted whether the three-year export target is achievable without developing new export products through fresh investments and finding new markets. The letter states that the government, including the Ministry of Commerce, has set an ambitious export target of $65 billion to be achieved in three years, representing a 113% increase over FY24 and contrasting sharply with the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s much lower $37.2 billion forecast. “We at the Pakistan Business Council have significant concerns with the target-setting process, which we believe are crucial to address,” the letter reads.