Preferential Trade Access Database | Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP)
The Preferential Trade Access Database (PTAD) is an official trade-intelligence portal of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP). It brings together, in one place, the preferential tariffs, rules of origin and procedures that apply to any product traded under the preferential arrangements to which Pakistan is a party or beneficiary: free trade agreements, preferential trade agreements, regional and multilateral arrangements, and unilateral GSP schemes.
PTAD works in both directions. For every arrangement, it shows the tariffs Pakistan applies to imports from each partner and the tariffs each partner applies to products imported from Pakistan, tariff line by tariff line, drawn from official government sources.
No manual is needed. Concise, need-based help (spot guidance) is built into the interface, so users of all technical backgrounds can work independently.
PTAD covers 29 preferential trade arrangements with 95 partner countries, grouped according to international trade-classification practice:
| Category | Scope | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) | Bilateral; includes Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) | 3 |
| Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) | Bilateral | 6 |
| Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) | e.g. SAFTA, SAPTA | 2 |
| Multilateral Trade Arrangements (MTAs) | e.g. D-8 PTA, GSTP, PTN | 3 |
| Unilateral Arrangements (GSP) | Generalized System of Preferences schemes under which Pakistan is a beneficiary | 15 |
| Total | 95 partner countries | 29 |
These five categories correspond to those in the “All Arrangements” menu. Each arrangement has its own Arrangement Module, containing its tariff schedules, rules and guidance.
Three routes lead to the information you need, each leading to the relevant Arrangement Module.
Use the “Search” header on the PTAD home page to find a product’s preferential treatment under all 29 trade arrangements in a single query. Enter an HS code (6, 8, 10 or 12 digits, with or without dots or spaces) or a product description. As you type, PTAD suggests matching HS codes and shows how many trade arrangements cover each one.
Many partners are covered by more than one trade arrangement, such as a bilateral agreement alongside a regional or multilateral one. Select a country in the “Country Navigator” to see all its trade arrangements with Pakistan together. Open each arrangement in turn to compare the preferential routes to the targeted foreign market and identify the most favorable one.
Open “All Arrangements”, select the category to which the trade arrangement belongs, and click the trade arrangement you need.
Each Arrangement Module holds the full tariff schedule of every party to the arrangement: Pakistan’s and each partner’s. To use a schedule:
Every tariff line, in schedules and search results alike, shows the base (MFN) tariff, the preferential tariff and the resulting tariff advantage (preference margin). The saving is visible at once, with no calculation required.
For agreements still under implementation, each schedule shows the preferential rate for every tariff line in every year of the phase-down, from start to completion, together with tariff-rate quotas and other applicable conditions. Users can see the rate in force today and plan pricing and contracts for the years ahead. Select a year or date to display the applicable schedule:
Where partners’ national tariff nomenclatures differ beyond the internationally harmonized 6-digit HS level, PTAD matches tariff lines across both schedules. For example, in Türkiye’s preferential schedule, it maps 12-digit Turkish tariff codes to the corresponding 8-digit Pakistan Customs Tariff (PCT) codes, in line with the determination of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Pakistan.
A preference can be claimed only if the product qualifies as originating, meets the direct-consignment (transport) requirements and is supported by the required proof of origin. Headings below each tariff schedule open the trade arrangement’s rules of origin, origin procedures, documentation checklist, market-access insights, technical guidance and source references: information otherwise scattered widely across agreement texts and separate official websites.
PTAD follows a hybrid approach: it combines consolidated tariff schedules with active links to the official sources of Pakistan and each partner, so users can verify product coverage, preferential eligibility and current tariff measures directly with the issuing authority. Every figure is traceable to its source. Where a rate cannot be fully confirmed from the underlying data, PTAD displays “verify at source” instead of an unconfirmed figure.
PTAD is a guidance and intelligence tool, not a legal authority. Before making a commercial decision, users should confirm final tariff treatment and procedural requirements with the relevant customs authority, particularly where schedules or eligibility conditions change frequently.
By making preferential access between Pakistan and its trade partners transparent, searchable and easy to act upon, PTAD delivers preference intelligence at the point of decision rather than through static reference documents. It aims to generate genuine market pull for Pakistani products abroad and to help exporters convert tariff advantage into concluded business. At the same time, it helps importers in Pakistan source their requirements more competitively from Pakistan’s preferential trade partners. As Pakistan’s network of preferential arrangements expands, PTAD offers a single, scalable platform that keeps pace with new agreements and evolving schedules: an enduring instrument for maximizing Pakistan’s preferential trade opportunities in the global market.
Found something that looks incorrect, or have a suggestion? Please contact the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, quoting the arrangement, the HS code and, for phased agreements, the year or date selected.