Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has rolled out a set of measures to support Pakistan’s exporters, including special blue passports for top performers and cuts in key costs to make businesses more competitive abroad.
Islamabad — On Friday, January 30, 2026, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke at an awards ceremony honoring the country’s leading exporters for the fiscal year 2024-25. He presented awards to the top performers and outlined steps the government is taking to help the export sector grow.
The prime minister announced that recipients of export excellence and tax awards will get blue passports valid for two years. These passports, usually given to high-ranking government officials, offer faster immigration processing at borders. Award winners will also hold the honorary title of Ambassador-at-Large for the same period. This status lets them represent Pakistan’s business and economic interests while traveling overseas.
To ease financial pressures on exporters, the government has lowered the markup rate on the Export Refinance Scheme from 7.5% to 4.5%. This change reduces borrowing costs for businesses that rely on financing to ship goods abroad. The State Bank of Pakistan allocates significant funds to this scheme — Rs1,052 billion in total, with Rs900 billion already used — and the new rate builds on existing relief tied to the policy rate.
Industrial users will see electricity tariffs drop by Rs4.04 per unit. Wheeling charges — fees for industries that generate and sell power to nearby users — have been cut by Rs9 per kilowatt-hour. These reductions aim to lower overall production expenses and help Pakistani goods compete better in global markets.
The prime minister stressed that Pakistan’s future economic strength depends on higher exports and more foreign investment in export-focused projects. He described top exporters as key players in building the country’s economy and promoting it internationally.
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Business groups have welcomed the package. Associations representing hosiery manufacturers, textiles, and chambers of commerce called the moves timely, saying they will help cut costs, improve cash flow, and support sectors facing high energy and finance burdens.
