Senate body summons commerce officials.

ISLAMABAD -- The Senate Standing Committee on Commerce and Textile Industry Chairman Senator Mirza Muhammad Afridi has summoned the officials of the ministry of commerce over complaints of misuse of the Export Development Fund (EDF).

The commerce officials have been asked to appear before the committee on October 22 and bring the record of disbarments made during the last five years and stop payments to trade associations immediately.

It may be mentioned that almost two decades back Export Development Surcharge was imposed on exports without the nod of stakeholders to boost exports but the cited objective cannot be achieved.

The allegations of misuse of funds by officials and influential businessmen surfaced repeatedly but to no avail.

This was one of the reasons that the Commerce Ministry has denied the Finance Ministry's request for a...