Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan has called for the development of a secure, integrated and artificial intelligence-powered digital ecosystem to modernise Pakistan’s trade administration and improve export policymaking.
The minister discussed the initiative during separate meetings with representatives of the Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA) and the management of Sky47, according to an official press release issued on Friday.
The discussions focused on strengthening Pakistan’s sovereign cloud infrastructure, expanding secure data-centre capabilities and improving information-sharing mechanisms across government departments.
Officials also explored how artificial intelligence could be used to analyse trade patterns, identify export opportunities and support evidence-based economic decisions.
Jam Kamal emphasised that the Ministry of Commerce possesses extensive information covering thousands of tariff and product categories, exporters, international markets, chambers of commerce, trade associations and overseas trade missions.
However, he said much of this information remains dispersed across different departments and platforms, limiting its accessibility and effective use.
“Pakistan’s trade data is a valuable national asset. It must be protected, properly classified and transformed into actionable intelligence for exporters, businesses and policymakers,” the minister stated.
He stressed the importance of standardising and integrating government trade databases while ensuring that sensitive information remains accessible only to authorised users.
The proposed digital framework would connect the Ministry of Commerce’s various wings and attached departments with the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), chambers of commerce, business associations and Pakistani trade officers stationed in more than 55 countries.
Jam Kamal also advocated integrating the ministry’s existing online portals into a unified platform capable of providing comprehensive trade information and international market intelligence.
The initiative aims to improve coordination between government institutions and the business community, allowing exporters and policymakers to access relevant information more efficiently.
The discussions form part of efforts to modernise Pakistan’s trade infrastructure through secure digital technologies and AI-assisted decision-making.