The share of non-textile sector exports has risen from 36.5 per cent of total exports in 2006-07 to 48 percent in 2011-12. Although textile still remains the mainstay of country’s exports, focused efforts by the Ministry of Commerce for diversification of export basket and markets have yielded positive results, Federal Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim said while announcing Strategic Trade Policy Framework (STPF) 2012-15. He said the government has also been successful to a reasonable degree in diversification of export markets with a gradually increasing quantum of exports now going to markets in Asia and Africa. He said Afghanistan has emerged as a major trading partner and has become Pakistan’s third largest export market. He further said that despite various challenges faced by the economy, trade has shown consistent improvement as exports increased by 27 percent in the year 2010-11 and touched a record level of $ 24.8 billion.
