Government to establish regulatory registry and harmonise business facilitation rules across provinces
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the government to accelerate regulatory reforms aimed at facilitating businesses, attracting investment and making Pakistan’s regulatory framework more transparent and business-friendly.
Chairing a meeting on regulatory reforms on Friday, the prime minister said simplifying regulations was essential for promoting business activity and investment. He said the government was taking steps to eliminate unnecessary regulations and pointed to reforms undertaken at the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) as a model for other regulatory institutions.
Regulatory Registry Planned
Shehbaz directed authorities to establish a comprehensive regulatory registry bringing together existing regulatory requirements, rules and regulations under a single system.
He also called for implementation of the Ease of Doing Business Act across the country to create greater consistency among provincial regulatory systems and provide businesses with uniform facilities.
The prime minister further ordered third-party validation of regulatory reforms to independently assess their effectiveness and determine whether they were delivering practical benefits to businesses.
He said improving the ease of doing business was fundamental to attracting both domestic and foreign investment, adding that investors required a conducive and predictable business environment.
SIFC to Coordinate With Provinces
Shehbaz directed the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to ensure that businesses were properly informed about regulatory reforms and the facilities available to them.
He instructed an SIFC delegation to visit all provinces and engage with provincial governments to improve coordination and create greater uniformity in business facilitation.
Adviser on Industries Haroon Akhtar Khan was directed to lead the delegation and coordinate with provincial governments on the reform process.
The prime minister also instructed ministries and divisions to ensure timely implementation of reforms approved by the cabinet. SIFC and the Punjab chief secretary were directed to complete the integration of eBiz Punjab and BFC Islamabad by March 2027.
557 Reforms Approved
The meeting was informed that the Cabinet’s Regulatory Reforms Committee had approved 557 reforms across seven multi-sector areas, which are expected to generate annual savings of Rs460 billion.
Authorities said the Business Facilitation Centre was being modernised along the lines of Punjab’s E-BIZ initiative, while the Export Policy Order and Import Policy Order were being simplified.
Business Facilitation Centres have received 8,717 applications, of which 71% have been completed, while the Islamabad Business Facilitation Centre has facilitated 4,612 new businesses.
SIFC is also working on policy governance and institutional reforms alongside its regulatory reform programme.