On Friday, February 14, 2025, a panel consisting of Dr. Manzoor Ahmed, Former Director, World Trade Advisors, and Dr. Muhammad Mujtaba Piracha, Former Ambassador of Pakistan to the WTO delivered a lecture to the participants of 37^th SMC on “Trade Policy and Diplomacy: Challenges and Prospects”. Dr. Manzoor Ahmad and Dr. Mujtaba Piracha led an engaging panel discussion on trade policy and diplomacy, emphasizing its crucial role in economic growth. They discussed the nature and importance of trade diplomacy in fostering international economic relations. The discussion highlighted Pakistan’s key trade partners, agreements, and the need for strategic trade promotion and facilitation. Major challenges in Pakistan’s trade diplomacy, including policy inefficiencies and regulatory hurdles, were critically examined.

The speakers emphasized the urgent need to reform Pakistan’s trade diplomacy for greater efficiency and global competitiveness. They explored the linkage between trade policy and macroeconomic fundamentals, stressing the importance of a coherent trade strategy. A critical appraisal of Pakistan’s existing trade policies, including NTF, STPF, and TRIPF, was conducted, with insights on their alignment with WTO and GSP frameworks. The role of regional and bilateral trade agreements in enhancing Pakistan’s trade prospects was discussed in detail. Challenges and opportunities related to Pakistan’s Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) were also explored. The session concluded with policy recommendations to strengthen Pakistan’s trade policy framework and global trade positioning.