Doing Business Reform Implementation Unit
The Government of Sindh (GoS) is committed to making the province an easy and competitive investment hub in Pakistan. With technical support and assistance from the World Bank, the Government of Sindh is pursuing a reform agenda to facilitate ease of business in the province.
The effort is spearheaded by the Investment Department that works to promote investment in all sectors of economy , facilitate local and foreign investors in speedy materialization of their projects, enhance Sindh’s international competitiveness, and contribute to economic and social development.
The aim is to bring together initiatives and action on reforms, as taken by multiple provincial departments and agencies, geared to facilitate ease of doing business in the province.
While aiming to improve the business environment of the province, the Doing Business reform agenda also seeks to improve Pakistan’s ranking on the World Bank’s Doing Business benchmarks. An annual survey – based on the World Bank indices that evaluate 190 economies for their ease of business reforms andbusiness friendly environment – requires respondents from the business community to rank their countries. Based on the survey, the World Bank releases its flagship annual report on Ease of Doing Business.
In Pakistan, the report surveys the investment situation in leading commercial cities. Karachi’s contribution to Pakistan’s ranking is 65 per cent ; Lahore’s is 35per cent .
Pakistan is currently pursuing 44 reforms across a range of indicators, initiating reforms aimed at registering property, enforcing contracts, dealing with construction permits and starting a business.
The Government of Sindh has formed the Sindh Investment Climate Improvement Cell (SICIC), a dedicated unit formed under the umbrella of Investment Department, for execution of the reform agenda, as pursued by different departments.
The 100 Days Sprint in Sindh is part of a larger action plan on business reforms supported by the World Bank to help implement these reforms at the federal and provincial level.
Mr. Najam Ahmed Shah, Secretary Investment Department, is the focal person for Doing Business reforms in Sindh.
DOING BUSINESS MILESTONES IN SINDH
Sindh has overhauled its regulatory structure in the past few months:
- 15 plus interventions / reforms have been made to improve the regulatory environment.
- 9 GoS departments activated (SBCA, KWSB, SEPA, BOR, Energy, SESSI, Industries, Excise & Taxation, & Labour).
- Comprehensive dissemination campaign on mainstream and social media.
- Wide-ranging and quickest reforms in country’s DB reform history.
SOME KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
Dealing with Construction Permits
Number of procedures to obtain Construction Permits reduced from 15 to 7
SBCA reduces time to grant construction permits from 60 to 30 Days
SBCA reduces time for completion certificates from 45 to 30 Days
SBCA exempted 3 NOCs
REGISTERING PROPERTY
Overall time required to register property in Karachi reduced from 208 days to just 17 Days – A 92% Reduction
With the Digital Scanning Unit replacing microfilming technology, time spent at the Sub-Registrar Offices reduced by 96%
2 Procedures Eliminated
50% archival registries of Karachi digitized
2-Dealing with Construction Permits
6-Protecting Minority Investors
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“We are on the verge of re-industrialization in Pakistan. Karachi and province of Sindh are poised to lead this re-industrialization. We, in the Government of Sindh, take on this opportunity and responsibility with passion.”
