News Desk
KARACHI: The Government of Pakistan, through the Ministry of National Food Security & Research (MNFSR), has appointed Shaikh Imtiaz Hussain, Chief Executive Officer of IMTIAZ ENTERPRISES, as a Member of the Fruit & Vegetable Value Chain Subcommittee under the national Agriculture & Food Export Transformation initiative. The appointment was formally notified through an MNFSR notification issued on the recommendation of Mr. Mehmood Nawaz Shah, Head of the Fruit & Vegetable Value Chain Subcommittee.
This strategic initiative is being pursued in follow-up to the vision and directives of the Honourable Prime Minister of Pakistan for comprehensive agricultural reforms, with MNFSR coordinating closely with the Ministry of Commerce and provincial governments. The national programme aims to move Pakistan’s agriculture sector beyond conventional, production-oriented practices toward a commercially competitive, technology-driven, export-oriented, and fully integrated agricultural value chain ecosystem.
Shaikh Imtiaz Hussain brings more than 25 years of diversified business and professional experience, with particular depth in agricultural exports, international trade, food processing, cold chain infrastructure, business development, and private sector investment. As CEO of IMTIAZ ENTERPRISES, he has been actively engaged in exporting Pakistani fruits and vegetables to international markets, contributing to the promotion of Pakistan’s agricultural products and the development of export-oriented business opportunities.
His professional journey is reinforced by specialized international training and exposure, and he has officially represented Pakistan’s business community at international trade forums, exhibitions, seminars, and business delegations across the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Asia-Pacific. His contributions have been recognized through several distinctions, including the Top Exporter Award and Gold Medal, the FPCCI Best Export Performance Award, the Global Food Safety Award, the CEO Excellence Award, and the Environmental Excellence Award.
Beyond his entrepreneurial responsibilities, Shaikh Imtiaz Hussain has remained actively engaged in institutional development, international business diplomacy, agricultural advocacy, and private sector representation, serving as President of the America Pakistan Business Development Forum (AMPAK-BDF), President of the Pakistan Agriculture & Horticulture Forum (PAHF), Chairman of the FPCCI Pakistan–USA Business Council, Secretary General and Director of the Swiss Business Council of Pakistan, Director of the Pakistan Malaysia Business Council (FPCCI), and former Deputy Governor of Rotary International District 3271. This combination of entrepreneurial experience, international exposure, and institutional leadership provides a valuable private sector perspective for the national agricultural transformation programme.
Commenting on his appointment, Shaikh Imtiaz Hussain stated that he considers this appointment a national responsibility rather than merely a professional recognition, noting that Pakistan possesses extraordinary agricultural potential yet has not fully translated its production capacity into international competitiveness, higher export earnings, and sustainable economic opportunities. He emphasized that the challenge is not simply to produce more agricultural commodities, but to produce according to international market requirements, preserve quality, minimize post-harvest losses, add value, establish reliable supply chains, and connect farmers and exporters directly with global buyers through practical reforms, modern infrastructure, technology, private sector investment, and effective coordination between government and industry. He further acknowledged the confidence and recommendation of Mr. Mehmood Nawaz Shah, Head of the Fruit & Vegetable Value Chain Subcommittee, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to this important national initiative.
Drawing upon his extensive industry experience and the proposed Agriculture & Food Export Transformation framework, Shaikh Imtiaz Hussain emphasized that Pakistan requires a comprehensive, commercially driven strategy rather than fragmented interventions. The proposed approach focuses on seven strategic priorities: modernizing agricultural production and productivity; establishing an integrated national cold chain ecosystem; strengthening food safety, international standards, and certification; accelerating agro processing and value addition; developing international markets and global buyer networks; mobilizing private investment and empowering agricultural SMEs; and introducing digital agriculture, accountability, and performance-based reforms.
The broader framework proposes five priority clusters for detailed feasibility assessment and possible designation — mango and tropical fruits; citrus and horticulture; onion, potato, and vegetables; rice and value-added grains; and processed agriculture and food ingredients — with their final selection to be supported by verified production data, market demand, and commercial feasibility.
The proposed transformation framework envisages four implementation phases: the first 90 days focused on mobilization and assessment to establish verified production and export baselines, identify critical bottlenecks, map infrastructure gaps, identify international buyers, and finalize priority cluster action plans; months three to six dedicated to institutional and policy reforms to improve certification and phytosanitary procedures, strengthen laboratory capabilities, develop financing mechanisms, and initiate pilot projects; months six to twelve focused on commercial execution to operationalize aggregation and packhouse facilities, promote contract farming, facilitate buyer audits, undertake trial shipments, and attract private investment; and months twelve to twenty-four dedicated to expansion and sustainability to scale successful initiatives, diversify export destinations, expand processing and cold chain capacity, secure repeat international contracts, and measure incremental export growth.
A central recommendation is to establish an Agriculture & Food Export Facilitation Cell involving the relevant ministries and institutions, supported by designated focal persons and a clear mechanism for resolving exporters’ operational and regulatory issues, alongside quarterly performance reviews and evidence-based measurement to ensure the national programme is judged by actual commercial results rather than policy announcements alone.
Shaikh Imtiaz Hussain emphasized that transforming Pakistan’s agriculture requires a unified national commitment involving federal and provincial governments, agricultural scientists, research institutions, farmers, exporters, processors, financial institutions, logistics providers, and international business partners. He stated that an agricultural ecosystem must be created in which farmers become commercially empowered, exporters become internationally competitive, investors find bankable opportunities, and Pakistani agricultural products establish a strong and reliable presence in global markets, with the objective of moving from exporting commodities to exporting quality, value-added products, technology, and internationally recognized Pakistani brands, expressing confidence that by combining government commitment, scientific expertise, and private sector leadership, Pakistan can initiate a new era of agricultural prosperity, significantly strengthen its export economy, and create sustainable economic opportunities for millions of people associated with this sector.
The appointment of Shaikh Imtiaz Hussain represents an opportunity to bring practical business experience, international trade exposure, and private sector expertise into Pakistan’s national agricultural reform process, with the shared objective of transforming the country’s agricultural potential into measurable export growth, investment, employment, and economic prosperity.
