Karachi, June 12, 2018 (PPI-OT): A Progress Meeting on Implementation of Doing Business Reforms in Sindh (Sprint – 2) was held in Karachi on the 12th of June. The Government of Sindh (GoS), with technical assistance from The World Bank, has been working on the Doing Business Sindh Reforms at an accelerated and unprecedented pace to improve the investment climate. The meeting was chaired by Mr Mohammad Waseem, Chairman, Planning and Development Department. Ms Naheed Memon, Chairperson, Sindh Board of Investment (SBI), is the focal person for these reforms.
At the meeting Ms Memon facilitated the progress update by relevant Government of Sindh Agencies, and lead the discussion on Vision for Doing Business in Karachi and other cities of Sindh. The agenda of this important meeting included a review of the Doing Business Reforms – The 100 Days Sprint 1 – and its implementation, and reforms were reviewed. The progress of the currently underway “100 Days – Sprint 2” was also discussed. Future vision for Doing Business Reforms were part of the agenda.
The future plans for furthering the DB agenda were shared at the progress meeting. These plans include the setting up of SICIC Facilitation Centers in the first phase at Labour Department, Industries, SESSI Directorates and the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. These centers will serve as a single port-of-call for all matters related to business registration and complaints.
Ms Memon shared at the occasion that her vision for furthering these reforms includes targeting marginalized investors and businesses through innovation and technology, and most importantly facilitating women in business with the aim of Pakistani women’s economic empowerment.
Present at the meeting were stalwarts of the business and investment sector in Sindh, including representatives from concerned government agencies like Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), Board of Revenue (BoR) Sindh, Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI), Sindh Revenue Board (SBR) and Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) among others. The World Bank team was represented by Mr Amjad Bashir, Senior Economist, The World Bank Group. Participants expressed satisfaction on the speedy progress made up till now, and stressed that the processes for Doing Business Reforms must be consolidated with all stakeholders on board.
A 100 Day plan was developed by the World Bank earlier to implement reforms across 8 indicators:
Starting a Business
Dealing with Construction Permits
Property Registration
Paying Taxes
Enforcing Contracts
Getting Credit
Trading Across Border
Getting Electricity
Sindh has undertaken an overhaul of its regulatory structure in the past few months. The progress in the following areas was shared in detail at the progress meeting:
15 plus interventions/reforms made in the past three months
9 GoS departments activated (SBCA, KWSB, SEPA, BOR, Energy, SESSI, Industries, Excise and Taxation, Labour and Information)
Communication and Dissemination of the reforms
The DB Reforms in Sindh have been the most wide ranging and quickest reforms in the country’s DB reform history.
The private sector has also been taken on board by the SBI for a more synergized approach towards achieving the goal of better investment climate in Sindh. One important step in this regard has been the establishment of a permanent private sector Advisory Council (ACIC) by the GoS, comprising of representatives from leading business houses to guide GoS on investment and economic development in the province.
For more information, contact:
Information and Archives Department
Directorate of Press Information
Government of Sindh
95-Sindh Secretariat 4-B, Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-99204423, +92-21-99204401
Email: pressinformationzubair@gmail.com
Website: http://sindhinformation.gos.pk