PM directs investment board to present plan on ease of doing business

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday directed the Board of Investment (BoI) to present a comprehensive plan on the ease of doing business in the country.

PM Imran chaired a meeting today to review progress on ease of doing business and attracting domestic and foreign investment. The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Asad Umar, Law Minister Farogh Naseem, and other senior officials.

The BoI was instructed to list issues in various sectors and their sub-sectors and how to simplify procedures related to government approvals, addressing taxation issues, dispute resolution and facilitating investors and businesses.

BoI Chairman Haroon Sharif said the board would take further steps to facilitate business transactions, remove impediments in the way of foreign businessmen to invest in Pakistan. 

The meeting was also briefed about various issues being faced by the business community including taxation, access to finance, regulation and policy issues and red-tapism.

Sharif said that the Naya Pakistan Diaspora Fund was being set up to promote SMEs and rural development in areas of education, health and infrastructure development.

He also apprised the prime minister of the investment framework which had been structured for attracting and materialising investment from UAE, KSA, China, Japan and Malaysia.

It was decided that the prime minister would chair a review meeting every month on ease of doing business in the country.