TDAP replaces EPB to meet WTO challenges: Humayun
By Asad Cheema

ISLAMABAD—Federal Minister for Commerce Humayun Akhtar Khan on Tuesday said success in international trade in goods and services is now inextricably linked with an effective export marketing strategy and compliance with international trade laws. Hence the Export Promotion Bureau needed to be transformed substantially a Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) has, been set up via legislation promulgated with the approval of the President of Pakistan on November 8 to meet the challenges due to the inception of WTO.
Talking to newsmen here, the federal minister said that TDAP has been established through proper legislation and it will enjoy administrative and financial autonomy for achieving its stated objectives, including flexibility to hire human resource at market salaries
The Commerce Minister went on to say that TDAP’s mandate has been expanded to include trade development rather than only export promotion, as was the case of the defunct Export Promotion Bureau.
Elaborating TDAP responsibilities, he highlighted that it would be responsible for achieving synergy in development of exports at national level by forging effective liaison with private and public stakeholders, and developing a sustainable, result-oriented and holistic export development plan. It will be solely and exclusively responsible for export marketing, he pointed out.
“It will work to encourage and promote research that will facilitate in formulating an effective export policy and plans,” he emphasized adding that it would also develop plans and initiatives for strengthening the supply chains of strategic export sectors, including exporters’ capabilities and capacities. It will establish and manage its export development centers, business support units, display centers and facilities, and information centers, and exporters training institutes, he underscored this while highlighting to promotion of human resource development in the export sector.
Through this new institution, he said that national, provincial and sectoral trade committees would be established.
TDAP will be under the administrative control of the Ministry of Commerce in order to ensure that TDAP’s policies are in sync with the overall policies of the Federal Government,” he explained. “The linkage of TDAP with the Ministry of Commerce will be through the Commerce Minister and Secretary Commerce who are Chairman and Member of the Board, respectively.”
The Authority would be exclusively responsible to the TDAP Board, headed by the Federal Minister of Commerce.
The Board of twenty-seven members includes the Chief Executive of TDAP, the Secretaries of Ministries of Commerce, Finance, Industries Production and Special Initiatives, Textile Industry, Food and Agriculture and Livestock, Chairman CBR, Secretary BOI, Deputy Governor SBP,Chief Secretaries to the Governments of Punjab, Sindh, NWFP, Balochistan, and AJK, Presidents FPCCI and Overseas Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and ten Members from the private sector.
The Board will establish short, medium and long-term critical success factors and key performance indicators for the Authority. There is also an Executive Committee formed by the Board and headed by the Federal Minister of Commerce. Its members include the Chief Executive TDAP, Secretaries of Ministries of Commerce and Finance, Deputy Governor SBP, Presidents FPCCI and Overseas Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and three other Members of the Board who are from private sector. The Board can delegate or withdraw any or all of its powers to this Committee from time to time. It can take decisions on behalf of the Board. The Board can also change the composition of this Executive Committee if when required.
The Authority will be headed by a Chief Executive (CE) appointed by the Federal Government. The Chief Executive will work with the Secretary TDAP, a government officer BPS-21/22, and will be responsible for the management of all affairs of the Authority, and achievement of desired objectives.
The human resource of TDAP will comprise a mix of qualified people both from government service and from the private sector. It is pertinent to note that TDAP will have a non-lapsable Fund, which will be administered and controlled by it. The Fund will consist of grants of Federal Government through non-lapsable regular budget, grants of money and sums borrowed by the Authority for the purposes of meeting any of its obligations or discharging any of its duties, fees other charges collected by the Authority, and all other sums which may become payable to or vested in the Authority in respect of any matter incidental to the exercise of its functions and powers.