Esar Ali, the owner of a garment badges factory in Federal B Industrial Area, shifted his business to a cattle farm when imports became tougher due to strict government policies to push down imports and step up exports.

Though the government policies helped to curb imports and increase exports, the trade deficit of Pakistan is still large.

The China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) came into effect in 2007 but it was criticised for failing to provide preferential access for Pakistani goods to the large Chinese market. CPFTA phase-II had been under negotiation since 2012 and it was finally signed in early 2019 and took effect in January 2020.

The purpose of FTA was to enhance bilateral trade between the two countries. CPFTA-I served the purpose of promoting bilateral ties but Pakistan’s exports could not be enhanced much.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2266948/china-pak-ties-fta-ii-a-significant-milestone