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Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has reviewed regulatory reforms aimed at improving the province’s business environment, with 58 approved measures expected to save businesses an estimated Rs67.38 billion annually in compliance costs.
During a meeting with the Prime Minister’s Coordination Committee on Regulatory Reforms on Wednesday, Shah called for simpler procedures, faster approvals and lower compliance costs. He stressed that the reforms must deliver measurable benefits for businesses and investors.
The meeting reviewed digital business facilitation, the proposed Sindh Asaan Karobar Act, integration of provincial and federal business portals, and Pakistan’s performance under the World Bank’s Business Ready (B-READY) framework.
Shah said the provincial government remained committed to modernising regulations, expanding digital governance and facilitating investment.
The Sindh Business One-Stop Shop has automated around 150 business-related services across 19 provincial departments. The platform supports electronic applications, payments, verifications and certificates.
According to the briefing, the system has issued more than 16,500 electronic permits. It has also provided training to over 800 government officials.
The meeting discussed linking the provincial platform with the federal Pakistan Business Portal to give investors easier access to government services.
The 58 approved reforms under Package No. 7 cover fisheries and aquaculture, as well as dairy and beverages. The package includes 43 measures for fisheries and aquaculture and 15 for dairy and beverages.
Officials said the reforms could reduce processing time by 798 days for fisheries and aquaculture businesses and 643 days for the dairy and beverages sector.
The estimated annual compliance cost savings stand at Rs8.97 billion for fisheries and aquaculture and Rs58.41 billion for dairy and beverages.
The measures include simpler licensing and registration procedures, the removal of duplicate documentation, fewer unnecessary inspections and wider use of digital applications.
At the national level, a programme covering 581 reforms across eight packages is expected to save businesses more than Rs163 billion annually.
Officials identified 173 indicators linked to provincial and joint federal-provincial reforms under the B-READY framework. The framework assesses the business environment, with Karachi serving as Pakistan’s representative city.
The briefing reported that implementation had been completed for 12 indicators, while 161 remained outstanding. It also classified nine indicators as partially implemented under the monitoring framework.
The action plan identifies 99 reforms for Sindh to implement independently and 74 that require joint action by federal and provincial authorities.
Shah directed departments to improve coordination, monitor progress and assign clear responsibilities to ensure measurable results.
The proposed Sindh Asaan Karobar Act aims to institutionalise regulatory reforms and align provincial measures with the federal initiative. The Law Department is reviewing the draft before it goes to the provincial cabinet for consideration.
The meeting also reviewed plans to establish an Investment Climate Improvement Cell to monitor reforms and coordinate implementation across departments.
Recruitment through the Institute of Business Administration Karachi is underway. Officials expect the team to be in place by December 2026.
Adviser to the prime minister on industries and production Haroon Akhtar Khan, who led the prime minister’s delegation, called for closer coordination between federal and provincial governments. He also emphasised simpler business procedures and stronger digital platforms to reduce compliance costs and attract investment.
Provincial ministers Jam Khan Shoro and Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, Chief Secretary Asif Haider Shah and other senior officials attended the meeting.
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