PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi chaired the 11th meeting of the Board of Investment and Trade and approved the budget for the current fiscal year.
It also endorsed the formation of various committees under the board, and authorized recruitment against vacant positions to strengthen institutional capacity.
Directing all relevant departments to ensure a functional one window facilitation mechanism for investors, the Chief Minister stated that the provincial government is undertaking comprehensive measures to promote a business friendly investment environment.
He emphasized that the effective utilization of the province’s significant economic potential remains a central priority of the provincial government. Stressing the importance of timely execution of ongoing initiatives, the Chief Minister noted that effective implementation of the Ease of Doing Business policy is critical for achieving sustainable economic growth and development targets.
The Chief Minister stated that the provincial government is establishing a dedicated provincial power transmission line from its own resources to supply locally generated electricity to industrial units at competitive rates. He observed that while the province possesses substantial investment potential and the government continues to facilitate investors, the law and order situation remains a major challenge. He noted that decisions taken behind closed doors have contributed to the prevailing law and order challenges, which continue to impede the province’s development trajectory.
During the briefing, the meeting was informed that since October 2022, cumulative investments exceeding PKR 457 billion have been attracted to the province. Over the past three years, investors have availed import duty concessions amounting to more than PKR 25 billion in various Special Economic Zones. It was further informed that six major investment projects worth billions of rupees across the Special Economic Zones, industry, minerals, and tourism sectors have been completed, while several additional projects are at various stages of implementation. The meeting was also informed that an Ease of Doing Business Cell has been operational at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade since 2021.
The briefing noted that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ease of Doing Business Act 2025 has been enacted, while work on the supporting rules is in progress. An Ease of Doing Business portal has been developed and successfully tested, and is expected to be formally launched soon.
Integration of twelve processes from the Industries Department, Food Department, and the Culture and Tourism Authority has been completed on the portal while the remaining departments will be incorporated by June this year. It was further shared that under the Ease of Doing Business policy, thirty two out of one hundred and seventy six regulatory processes have been simplified, while work on the remaining processes is ongoing.
A modern mobile application, BizHub, has also been developed to facilitate small and medium enterprises. The briefing further highlighted that multiple roadshows, seminars, symposiums, expos, and conferences have been organized to promote investment in the province, alongside structured engagements with thirteen foreign delegations.
The meeting was also informed that, on the special directives of the Chief Minister, progress is underway on a comprehensive roadmap aimed at ensuring the financial sustainability of public sector universities in the province.
