ISLAMABAD: The Cabinet Committee on Regulatory Reforms (CCoRR) has reviewed key reforms for Pakistan’s dairy and beverage sector, with officials highlighting that cutting unnecessary regulations could save the economy Rs58.4 billion and significantly reduce the time required to establish food processing units.
The meeting was chaired by Federal Minister for Board of Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh and attended by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar Khan, Pakistan Business Council Chairperson Dr Zeelaf Munir, and representatives of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI).
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The committee was informed that the dairy sector contributes 14.04 per cent to Pakistan’s GDP and that the country is the world’s fourth-largest dairy producer. Despite its importance, the sector continues to face major regulatory hurdles.
Officials said establishing a food processing unit in Sindh currently requires 235 documents, with around 57 per cent of the requirements duplicated. Completing the approval process can take up to 2,040 days.
The reform team proposed abolishing five regulations, simplifying nine others, and digitising 18 regulatory processes. If implemented, these measures would reduce the approval time to 634 days and generate estimated economic savings of Rs58.4 billion.
Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh expressed concern over resistance from some provinces to regulatory reforms and stressed the need for coordinated efforts to improve the ease of doing business across the country.
He and Haroon Akhtar Khan said regulations should facilitate businesses rather than serve as a tool for revenue generation.
The meeting also discussed enforcing national standards through the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) and linking the Sindh Building Control Authority with a single-window system to streamline approvals.
The session concluded with a commitment to accelerate digitalisation and strengthen coordination between the federal and provincial governments to improve the business environment.
