Islamabad, the June 02, 2026 — The National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce met under the chairmanship of Mr. Muhammad Jawed Hanif Khan to deliberate upon various legislative and policy matters, including the Life Insurance Nationalization (Amendment) Bill, 2026, The Trade Organizations (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and A Calling Attention Notice.

 

During discussion on the Trade Organizations (Amendment) Bill, MNA Mr. Farooq Sattar emphasized the unique economic significance of Karachi, noting that the city contributes a major share of the country's revenue and should continue to be represented by a single, unified chamber. He expressed concern that the creation of multiple district chambers within Karachi could undermine the representative status and effectiveness of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).

 

Committee Members acknowledged the importance of Karachi's role in the national economy and reiterated their support for maintaining the existing status of KCCI. The Committee observed that any proposed changes should safeguard Karachi's unified chamber structure while ensuring consistency with the overall legal framework governing trade organizations.

 

The Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, informed the Committee that the matter requires consultation with provincial governments and stakeholders to ensure equity and uniformity across the country. The Committee reached a broad consensus that the current status of KCCI should remain intact and that its interests should be protected.

 

To facilitate a thorough examination of the matter and formulate appropriate recommendations, the Committee appointed a Sub-Committee comprising Mr. Muhammad Numan, Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Ms. Shaista Parvaiz, and Mr. Asad Alam Niazi. The Sub-Committee has been entrusted with the responsibility of undertaking consultations with relevant stakeholders and presenting its findings and recommendations to the Committee on the Trade Organizations (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The Committee also tasked the Sub-Committee with examining the Insurance Bill, 2026, and submitting its recommendations thereon.

 

The Committee adopted the report of the Sub-Committee on the Life Insurance Nationalization (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The Bill was subsequently taken up for clause-by-clause consideration and was recommended, with certain Amendments, for passage by the National Assembly.

 

The Committee also discussed export performance and challenges facing the country's export sector during consideration of a Calling Attention Notice moved by Ms. Aliya Kamran. The Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, highlighted factors affecting export competitiveness, including energy costs, financing, taxation, productivity, and the broader economic environment. Committee Members stressed the need for stakeholder consultations and policy measures to promote exports, value addition, and industrial competitiveness. Following a detailed discussion on the matter, the Calling Attention Notice was disposed of by the Committee. The Committee further resolved that the Copyright (Amendment) Bill, 2026, will be taken up for consideration at its next Meeting.

 

The Committee meeting concluded with a note of thanks from the Chair to the Members for their valuable participation.

The meeting was attended by MNAs, Mr. Muhammad Numan, Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Ms. Kiran Haider, Ms. Tahira Aurangzeb, Mr. Farhan Chishti, Mr. Khurshid Ahmad Junejo and Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani in person and Mr. Asad Alam Niazi attended the meeting Virtually. The senior officers from Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Law & Justice, SECP, CEO (SLIC) and National Assembly Secretariat were also present in the meeting.