Senate body asks BOI to bring amendments to ‘the One Stop Service Bill, 2023’

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs has directed the Board of Investment (BOI) to bring some amendments to the bill, “the One Stop Service Bill, 2023" aimed at facilitating overall investment activities in the country.

The standing committee meeting, which held its meeting here on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Senator Taj Haider, opined that the bill may not be passed in its present form and directed the BOI to address the required necessary details and limitations in a proper manner. The committee also differed with the government for not including provinces and relevant stakeholders in the proposed body to facilitate the investors.

The committee deliberating on the bill titled aimed to establish “One Stop Services” for investors, interested in investing in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and the country in general, asked the BOI officials to provide all the details of the creation of such a facilitation centre for investors.

Responding to the queries of the committee members, Khashihur Rehman, additional secretary for BOI, apprised that the Special Economic Zone Act made it compulsory for investors to initiate industrialisation within the two years of land allocation, however, the provision of required certificates and NOCs are creating serious hurdle in doing so. He stated that the act will aid investors in acquiring all the public services in a timely manner and it will also play a key role in the colonisation of SEZs.

Senator Taj Haider stressed the need for utilisation of the present structures instead of the establishment of a new organisation for the promotion of industry in the country, asking the BOI officials about their failure to provide these services to investors.

Senator Sania Nishtar pointed out that the act provides sweeping power to “One Stop Service” and despite giving these, one-stop service will not be able to yield the desired results in the current hostile industrial environment.

The chairman committee commended the purpose of the bill and suggested that the provinces and the basic service providers shall be made the members of the board. The members raised the issue that the bill also provides absolute power to one-stop service centre to bypass the provisions of law and also touches upon issues/matters related to the provincial governments.

However, the additional secretary Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs apprised the committee that the ministry supports "The One Stop Service Bill, 2023", as the same has been approved by the federal cabinet. The committee was, unanimously, of the view that the bill may not be passed in its present form and directed the BOI to address the required necessary details and limitations in a proper manner.

The meeting was attended by senators, Sania Nishtar, Syed Waqar Mehdi, and Abida Muhammad Azeem.

Additional Secretary for Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs Asif Saeed Khan, Additional Secretary for BOI Khashihur Rehman, and other senior officers of relevant departments were also in attendance.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023