Govt identifies agriculture, textiles and IT as key sectors to drive export-led growth

October 22, 2026 (MLN): The government has identified agriculture, textiles and information technology (IT) as the key sectors to anchor sustainable, export-led economic growth, backed by structural reforms and private-sector investment.

Under a framework called TRUST, it plans to target sectors where Pakistan has competitive strengths, implement sustainable reforms, unlock private capital, scale up exports and develop talent.

Sectors are to be picked on five criteria: proven strength, the ability to deliver with existing institutions and infrastructure, global demand, employment generation at scale and foreign-exchange earnings.

In agriculture, the focus is on better crop yields, storage, processing and value-added exports, building on the gains of the 1960s Green Revolution.

In textiles and apparel, the aim is to move beyond yarn and fabric into finished garments, brands and technical fabrics, while in IT and digital services, better organisation and stronger digital skills are expected to help capitalise on global demand and the freelance work Pakistani youth already do for international clients.

To turn these priorities into gains, reforms are needed in three areas: energy, taxation and state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

On energy, the plan is to hand sector management and decision-making to the private sector to boost competition and efficiency, attract investment and cut costs, since high power costs hurt industrial competitiveness.

On taxation, the plan is to document the economy to broaden the tax base and spread the burden more fairly, as too few taxpayers currently carry a disproportionate share.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatization Muhammad Ali outlined the plan while addressing the CEO Summit, stressing that the country needs a focused and consistent strategy built on its strengths, higher productivity, private investment and wider exports, APP reported.

He said Pakistan should learn from China, South Korea, Vietnam and Bangladesh, which grew by starting with what they already did well and building on it over time with policy continuity.

He pointed to China’s reforms from 1978 built on agriculture, South Korea’s textiles and plywood industries in the 1960s, Vietnam’s shift from rice importer to major exporter, and Bangladesh’s garment industry.

Recalling the severe challenges of 2022 and 2023, including fiscal constraints, low productivity, production curtailments, high inflation and elevated interest rates, he said the country cannot go through such a test again and needs an economy resilient enough to withstand future shocks.

He noted that past reform plans had often been reversed or run into obstacles, and called for perseverance, patience, focus and coordinated policymaking.

Earlier, he thanked the CEO Club team for bringing together representatives of business, the investor community, government and academia, saying such forums allow meaningful discussion on the country’s economic challenges and growth prospects.

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