Pakistan’s TDRC Launches to Streamline Trade Disputes

Pakistan’s inaugural Trade Dispute Resolution Commission (TDRC) has officially commenced operations, marking a pivotal advancement in the nation’s trade governance since the enactment of the Trade Dispute Resolution Act, 2022.

The five-member Commission—comprising Umar Dad Afridi, Javed Iqbal Khan, Muhammad Hamood Ur Rauf, Muhammad Rauf Khan, and Ms. Riffat Inam Butt—has been fully appointed and activated with a strategic roadmap under the stewardship of Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan.

In his address, Jam Kamal Khan emphasized that the TDRC would revolutionize trade dispute settlement by delivering a neutral, efficient, and transparent mechanism for domestic and international stakeholders. He outlined immediate actions to secure dedicated office space, finalize service and financial rules, launch an online complaint portal, and initiate a nationwide awareness campaign. The Executive Director General of the Trade Dispute Resolution Organization (TDRO) will provide comprehensive institutional support.

Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Commerce Rana Ihsaan Afzal commended the Members, highlighting that the Commission’s operationalization for the first time underscores the government’s commitment to modernizing trade institutions.

Members Riffat Inam Butt and Umar Dad Afridi, speaking for their peers, vowed to uphold the Commission’s mandate, asserting that its activation would establish new benchmarks for transparency and professionalism, bolster business confidence, and enhance Pakistan’s reputation as a fair trading partner.

The TDRC’s launch, guided by Jam Kamal Khan, is hailed as a transformative step toward improving the ease of doing business, safeguarding the trading community, and attracting investment through predictable and impartial dispute resolution.