February 12, 2020: Second meeting of Steering Committee on Pakistan Regulatory Modernization Initiative held at Ministry of Commerce to review the progress and discuss a way forward.

Advisor to Prime Minister Abdul Razzaq Dawood said while chairing the meeting, we aim to provide a friendly environment to the business community. We want to make procedures easy to invite more investments.

Mr. Ishrat Hussain Advisor to PM on Institutional Reforms and Austerity said that the aim of the meeting is to identify difficulties in areas related to business and hold dialogue to find a solution.

Mr.Zubair Gillani Chairman Board of Investment said we need to develop the confidence of investors. Board of investment is here to coordinate among provinces to facilitate this process of creating a business-friendly environment.

The representative of Khyber Pukhtoonkhawa government said that the chief minister held a meeting on 7th January 2020 to discuss the easing of procedures. The committee was formulated to see duplication of taxes and reduce the number of taxes.

Khyber Pukhtoonkhawa government also mapped the regulations and many other related issues. The representative of Sindh government highlighted that kick-off meeting held on 8th February 2020. The aim was to develop a simple, modernize and automated regulation system for businesses. The representative of Punjab government said we went through all mapping in 2018. In order to carry out the process of a guillotine, we need to have steering committees in provinces as well.

The representative of Baluchistan said World Bank is helping in developing terms of reference. Baluchistan will benefit from other provinces to expedite this process.

The representative from Azad Jammu and Kashmir said this department was neglected in the past. We recently passed the Board of Investment Act and forming Board of Investment unit through PC-1. The representative of Gilgit Baltistan said we are working on window operation to facilitate businesses. For GSP plus status, we have introduced some legislation as well.

The first meeting was held on 12th September 2019 under the chairmanship of Advisor to Prime Minister Razaq Dawood. The meeting was attended by Mr Ishrat Hussain Advisor on Institutional Reforms and Austerity, Mr Zubair Gillani Chairman, board of Investment, Sardar Nawaz Sukhera Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Mr Omer Rasul, Secretary, Board of Investment, Mr Najam Ahmed Shah Secretary Investment Department, Mr Jahanzeb Burana, Punjab Board of Investment and Trade, Mr Muhammad Anwar Director Baluchistan Board of Investment, Syed Zulifqar Ali Shah Secretary Industry Commerce and Mineral Department, Mr Sam Fell Head of ECO Growth United Kingdom Department for International Development Pakistan and representatives of chamber of commerce.

Press Release

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