Consequent upon the introduction of administrative reforms of 1973, aiming to create civil Services of specialized nature and responsibilities; the Trade Service of Pakistan, created in 1967, was changed into Commerce and Trade Group. The officers of Commerce and Trade are entrusted with the responsibility of trade promotion, facilitation, regulation and development through different organizations and Pakistan's commercial missions abroad. The total number of officers in the group is 266.

The officers of Commerce and Trade Group are posted mainly in Ministry of Commerce and its attach departments which include Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Pakistan Institute of Trade and Development (PITAD), Directorate General of Trade Organizations (DGTO), Trade Corporation of Pakistan (TCP), National Tariff Commission (NTC) and different insurance organizations. Moreover, their services are also requisited by the ministries dealing with trade and economy such as Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Textile, Ministry of Investment, and Economic Affairs Division and so on.

The Commerce and Trade Group Officers have the role of career commercial diplomats. They are posted in Pakistan commercial missions abroad (presently 62 missions) right from Commercial Secretary to the position of Trade Minister.

Some of the officers of Commerce and Trade Group have recently served as Federal Secretaries to the Government of Pakistan that includes Mr. Tairq Iqbal Poori, Mr. Abid Javed Akbar, Mr. Tariq Shafiq and Mr. Muhammad Ashraf Khan.

The Commerce and Trade officers are paid standard salary ,perks & privileges as determined for each BPS by the Federal Governemnt .