ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday ordered a comprehensive digital overhaul of the National Tariff Commission (NTC), aiming to modernize the country’s trade framework, bolster domestic industries, and attract foreign investment.
The directive came during a high-level meeting to review ongoing reform measures at the commission, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
The NTC, the country’s trade defence body, is tasked with investigating unfair trade practices such as dumping and subsidised imports, and recommending protective duties to safeguard local manufacturers.
Its performance is widely regarded as critical to maintaining investor confidence and ensuring a level playing field for domestic industry.
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“Effective performance of the NTC after its institutional reorganisation is essential for increasing domestic industry and investment,” Sharif said during the meeting, according to the statement.
He urged the commission to embrace technological innovation, including information technology and artificial intelligence, to modernise operations and improve decision-making.
Sharif also called on officials to study “global best practices” to ensure the commission’s restructuring and functioning align with international standards. “Delays in cases at the NTC are not acceptable under any circumstances,” he added, directing authorities to implement a system to ensure all cases are resolved within a stipulated timeframe.
The PM emphasised that the NTC must facilitate investors and industrialists by taking “special measures to protect them from legal and other complexities.”
At the meeting, the NTC chairman briefed the PM on the ongoing legal, administrative and financial reforms being implemented under a government-approved roadmap.
The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries Haroon Akhtar, and other senior officials.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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