Commerce Committee Approves Key NTC & EDF Amendment Bills

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce, under the chairmanship of Muhammad Jawed Hanif Khan, unanimously approved two pivotal legislative measures on Monday aimed at strengthening and modernising Pakistan’s trade, export promotion, and tariff administration framework.

The committee passed the National Tariff Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to overhaul the institutional and operational capacity of the National Tariff Commission (NTC). The amendments increase the number of NTC members from five to seven and confer enhanced legal and quasi-judicial powers to enable more effective administration of trade-remedy instruments.

Currently, the NTC’s activities have been predominantly confined to anti-dumping investigations and measures, constrained by structural and legal limitations. The proposed reforms address these deficiencies by bolstering the Commission’s institutional strength, thereby equipping it to better safeguard domestic industries against unfair trade practices amid the progressive tariff liberalisation envisaged under the National Tariff Policy 2025–30. The changes draw on recommendations from a dedicated review committee and a high-powered committee chaired by the Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination.

The committee also approved the Export Development Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2026, incorporating amendments proposed by committee member Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig during the session. The revised legislation expands representation on the EDF Board of Administrators to include four exporters—one from the non-textile sector—selected on the basis of their proven export performance. These changes are intended to foster greater private-sector participation, improve governance, transparency, and overall efficiency in the utilisation of the Export Development Fund for export promotion initiatives.

Both bills represent critical legislative advancements toward aligning Pakistan’s trade and export systems with contemporary global standards, mitigating risks arising from tariff liberalisation, and enhancing the competitiveness of domestic industries. The committee chairman commended the active contributions of members and the constructive deliberations. The meeting was attended by several Members of the National Assembly (in person and virtually), along with senior representatives from the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Law and Justice, and the National Assembly Secretariat.