Alliance Traders Forum

Vision

To empower traders and retailers across Pakistan by building a supportive ecosystem for sustainable business growth, digital transformation, advocacy, and equitable market opportunities—so they can thrive in a rapidly evolving economy.

Context: Problems Faced by Traders and Retailers in Pakistan

Traders form the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, yet they operate in an increasingly hostile and uncertain environment marked by:

Regulatory and Policy Issues

• Frequent changes in tax regulations and lack of clarity in FBR policies
• Harassment by tax and municipal authorities, especially for undocumented businesses
• Inconsistent enforcement of rules leading to an uneven playing field

Economic & Financial Challenges

• Inflation, currency volatility, and high interest rates reducing consumer demand
• Limited access to formal credit or SME financing from banks
• Heavy reliance on undocumented transactions making it harder to scale formally

Digital and Technological Lag

• Slow adoption of digital payment systems and e-commerce platforms
• Poor digital literacy, especially among small retailers and traders in Tier 2/3 cities

Supply Chain Disruptions

• Volatile import regulations and delays at ports
• High transportation and logistics costs
• Lack of organized wholesale and warehousing facilities

Social and Structural Gaps

• No unified national platform or strong trade associations with real advocacy power
• Urban encroachments, licensing issues, and load shedding affecting daily operations
• Gender gap—women entrepreneurs and traders face exclusion and mobility constraints

Objectives of the Alliance Traders Forum

1. Giving a formal role in policy making . 
2. Support Business Growth and Formalization of traders and retailers
3. Promote Policy Advocacy for fair taxation, regulation, and ease of doing business
4. Facilitate Access to Finance for working capital, expansion, and modernization
5. Digitally Empower Traders to compete in modern marketplaces
6. Develop National Networking Platforms for collaboration and joint purchasing
7. Train Traders in Business Management and compliance best practices
8. Support Women and Youth Entrepreneurs in traditional and new trade sectors
9. Reduce Regional Disparities by uplifting rural and small-town trading communities

Key Programs and Initiatives

1. Trader Digital Empowerment Program

• Training in POS systems, QR payments, WhatsApp commerce, and basic e-commerce setup
• Partnerships with fintechs and mobile wallet companies for onboarding

2. Business Formalization & Tax Compliance Clinics

• Free consultation on NTN registration, sales tax filing, business incorporation
• Liaison with FBR and SECP to simplify procedures and reduce harassment

3. Traders Microfinance and Credit Access Support

• Connect members to banks, microfinance institutions, and government credit schemes
• Help in documentation, proposal writing, and loan application processing

4. Women in Trade & Retail Initiative

• Dedicated training, marketplace access, and digital selling support for women vendors
• Facilitate home-based and small-scale businesses to formalize and scale

5. National Traders Training Program

• Workshops on inventory management, merchandising, pricing, customer care, and business continuity planning

6. Alliance Traders Directory & B2B Portal

• Develop a national digital directory of registered traders and suppliers
• Facilitate group procurement, vendor management, and market linkages

7. Urban Markets & Infrastructure Advocacy

• Campaigns for clean, secure, and properly zoned markets with trader input
• Push for modern wholesale markets, logistics hubs, and warehousing reforms

8. Retail Tech & Innovation Expo

• Showcase POS systems, ERP tools, and marketplace platforms relevant to traders
• Help match vendors with tech solution providers

9. Monthly Business Policy Dialogues

• Gather feedback from traders on budget proposals, taxation policies, and regulatory challenges
• Submit whitepapers to ministries and chambers

10. Dispute Resolution and Legal Aid Support

• Provide mediation and legal guidance in trade disputes, evictions, tenancy issues, etc.

Impact Goals

• Formalize and strengthen the trader community by integrating them into the digital and financial ecosystem
• Reduce regulatory pressure and uncertainty through collective voice and advocacy
• Equip small and medium traders with the tools and knowledge to grow and compete
• Uplift local economies by empowering neighborhood markets and regional trade hubs
• Make trade a dignified, sustainable, and forward-looking career path