A seminar titled “The Challenge of Pakistan’s Trade” was held at Government College University Faisalabad, bringing together policymakers, academics, and students to discuss key issues confronting the country’s trade sector.

The seminar was presided over by Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Rauf-i-Azam. Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Industries, attended as the keynote speaker, while former MPA Dr. Najma Afzal Khan was the guest of honour and Dean Prof Dr Sofia Anwar.

In his keynote address, Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan presented a comprehensive overview of Pakistan’s trade environment, highlighting structural challenges including limited export diversification, low value addition, competitiveness constraints, trade imbalance, and weak integration into global value chains. He stressed the importance of consistent trade reforms, institutional coordination, policy continuity, and innovation-driven growth to enhance export performance and economic stability.

Earlier, Prof. Dr. Sofia Anwar, Dean Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, introduced the keynote speaker and acknowledged his contributions to public policy and trade governance. The seminar also included an interactive question-and-answer session with participants.

In his concluding remarks, Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Rauf-i-Azam highlighted the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in modern trade systems, noting that AI-driven technologies are reshaping global supply chains, trade analytics, logistics management, and productivity. He emphasized that Pakistan must integrate technological innovation and AI-based solutions into its trade and industrial policies to remain competitive in global markets.