Prime Minister Orders Major Port Reforms to Speed Up Trade and Cut Business Costs

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed port authorities to drastically reduce cargo dwell time and remove unnecessary laboratory testing, saying inefficiencies at ports are increasing business costs and slowing Pakistan’s economic growth. The orders were issued during a high-level meeting focused on improving port performance and trade facilitation.

Chairing the private sector working group on port development, the prime minister stressed that ports are the backbone of the national economy and must function efficiently to support exports and imports. He ordered further cuts in port charges to enhance the global competitiveness of Pakistani goods and instructed authorities to set up initial testing laboratories within port premises to avoid delays.

Officials informed the meeting that poor inland connectivity and limited port capacity have contributed to congestion. To address this, the prime minister directed upgrades to rail links from ports and called for accelerated dredging and expansion, particularly at Karachi ports, to accommodate larger vessels. Tenders for these projects, officials said, have already been issued.

To resolve the long-standing issue of abandoned cargo, PM Shehbaz ordered the introduction of a transparent auction system and the creation of dedicated storage yards. He also announced that a new e-bidding platform will soon be launched, allowing bidders nationwide to participate remotely, increasing transparency and efficiency.

During the meeting, working group chairman Ziad Bashir welcomed recent government reforms and noted that transparent privatization efforts have helped rebuild business confidence. Officials also shared that the national ports master plan is progressing rapidly, the port community system is now operational, and bulk cargo handling charges at Port Qasim have been reduced significantly to ease the burden on traders.