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Counsellor (Trade & Investment)

 

Mr. Muhammad Shafiq Haider is Counsellor for promotion of bilateral trade, investment, tourism, and development cooperation since March 2024 at the Embassy of Pakistan, The Hague, with most of the career at Ministry of Commerce, Government of Pakistan.

In his previous role as Deputy Secretary Trade Diplomacy for Europe, Russia and Türkiye at Ministry of Commerce (2020-2024):

  • He advised Government of Pakistan on sustainable trade and investment relations with the European Union, Russia and Türkiye;
  • He covered a wide range of aspects of EU-Pakistan and UK-Pakistan relations including the external aspects of the European Green Deal, agri-food trade, and intellectual property, EU GSP Plus, UK DCTS and establishment of Trade Dialogue with the UK;
  • He remained actively involved in Ministerial level bilateral engagements with Russia and Belarus;
  • He was Government of Pakistan’s Deputy technical team Lead that successfully negotiated a Preferential Trade Agreement with Türkiye;
  • He also coordinated Pakistan’s positions at the European Commission on registration of Basmati Rice as Geographical Indication as well as GSP Plus.
  • He advised the Government of Pakistan throughout the 4th Periodic Assessment of GSP Plus covering a period of 03 years, i.e., 2020-2022 and worked very closely with Prime Minister’s office and the Parliament for  formulation and implementation of policies for human rights, labour market,  climate action and good governance. For ensuring implementation of the 27 International Conventions (Human Rights-7, Labor Rights-8, Environment-8, Governance-4) as obligated vis-à-vis the preferential tariff concessions under EU GSP Plus, he worked in close coordination with the relevant Federal Ministries of Human Rights, Climate Change, OP&HRD, Law & Justice; Provincial Departments of Human Rights, Environment, and Labor as well as independent Commissions of Human Rights, Rights of Child, Status of Women and international organizations such as UN Women, UNEP, ILO, UNICEF, and INGOs etc.
  • The successful completion of the 4th Biennial Review of EU GSP Plus was a milestone achievement that helped Pakistani businesses and manufacturers to continue benefitting from unilateral tariff concessions under EU GSP Plus.

Between July 2016 and November 2020, he served as Attaché for welfare of expat Pakistanis and Cultural Affairs at the Embassy of Pakistan in Seoul. His dedicated efforts culminated in establishing bilateral institutional forums such as Pakistan-Korea Business and Culture Forum. He advised Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resources Development on formulation and implementation of policy measures corresponding to obligations under the Korean Employment Permit System which led to an increase of 67% in labour quota for Pakistan by the Republic of Korea. He was also instrumental in bringing the entire leadership of Korean Buddhism and more than 100 high ranking monks to Pakistan for a visit that helped in increasing religious tourism to Pakistan from Korea.

He remained involved in formulating strategic Trade Policy Framework from 2013 to 2016 at Ministry of Commerce with a focus on incorporating sustainable manufacturing, green trade and development for all.

From 2009 to 2013, he worked as an analyst for Pakistan Institute of Trade and Development – the policy think tank of Ministry of Commerce. In this role, he worked closely with World Institute Bern, International Trade Centre, UNESCAP and UNEP on a wide ranging subjects including WTO Law and diplomacy, economics and policy of non-tariff measures, enhancing trade competitiveness, sustainable production and consumption. He is certified as a Master Trainer by World trade Institute Bern on WTO Law and as an expert on formulation and implementation of policies for sustainable production and consumption by United Nations Environment Program. To his credit, he has trained more than 100 Pakistani trade diplomats.

Mr. Haider's contributions have been widely recognized through numerous accolades and letters of appreciation including one by Minister for Commerce for his pivotal role in negotiating a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Türkiye.

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