PM orders regulatory registry, unified business rules

ISLAMABAD: The government said on Friday that 557 regulatory reforms approved across seven sectors are expected to generate annual savings of Rs460 billion, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered a nationwide overhaul of business regulations and greater uniformity in rules across the country. Presiding over a meeting on regulatory reforms, the prime minister directed the establishment of a comprehensive regulatory registry bringing all existing regulatory requirements, rules and regulations under a single system. He also ordered implementation of the Easy Business Act nationwide to harmonise regulatory systems and ensure businesses receive uniform facilities across provinces. READ MORE: SIFC, World Bank discuss business facilitation reforms The prime minister directed the government to ensure that the reforms delivered tangible benefits for businesses and did not remain limited to policy announcements. He also ordered third-party validation to independently assess their impact and effectiveness. The meeting was informed that the Cabinet’s Regulatory Reforms Committee had approved 557 reforms covering seven multi-sector areas, with the government estimating annual savings of Rs460 billion. The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) was directed to publicise the reforms more effectively and work with the private sector to ensure businesses were aware of and able to benefit from the facilities being offered. The prime minister also directed the SIFC to send a delegation to all provinces to coordinate with provincial governments and promote greater consistency in regulatory systems. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan was asked to lead the delegation. The meeting was informed that 8, 717 applications had been processed through Business Facilitation Centres, with 71 percent completed. The Islamabad Business Facilitation Centre had facilitated 4, 612 new businesses, it was further told. The SIFC is also coordinating with the provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan on regulatory reforms. The prime minister directed all ministries and divisions to implement cabinet-approved reforms within the stipulated timelines. He also ordered the SIFC and Punjab chief secretary to complete, by March 2027, the integration of Punjab’s eBiz system with the Islamabad Business Facilitation Centre. Business Facilitation Centres are being modernised on the model of Punjab’s E-BIZ system, while the Export Policy Order and Import Policy Order are also being simplified, the meeting was informed. Sharif cited reforms at the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) as a model for modernising other regulatory bodies and said an accessible and business-friendly regulatory environment was essential for meeting the country’s investment targets. He directed the SIFC to ensure that the private sector was fully informed about the reforms and facilities available to it. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, IT and Telecom Minister Shaza Fatima, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema, Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan, Minister for Finance and Railways Bilal Kayani and senior officials attended the meeting. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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