ISLAMABAD: The Board of Investment (BOI) and the Prime Minister’s Office, organised a MoU signing ceremony for the integration of federal and provincial regulators with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) eService Portal.
The event was chaired by the Federal Minister for Investment, Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, and attended by senior representatives from participating organizations.
MoUs were signed between SECP and the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO), Power Information Technology Company (PITC), and Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA). Integration of Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL) and Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) will follow in the next phase.
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In his welcome address, Director General BOI Mahmood Tufail, highlighted that BOI had carried out a survey of IT readiness through which 16 agencies were identified for integration with the SECP. He underlined that all agencies will eventually be connected to the Pakistan Business Portal, a World Bank–funded initiative that aims to serve as a single-window digital platform for businesses in Pakistan. He also reiterated BOI’s commitment to strengthening regulatory reform and investor facilitation.
The federal minister for investment appreciated BOI’s efforts and termed the initiative a landmark step in Pakistan’s digitisation process. He noted that integration across federal and provincial regulators will reduce inefficiencies, eliminate duplication, and ensure transparency. Stressing the importance of creating a business-friendly environment, he underscored that such reforms will enable Pakistan to better compete regionally in attracting investment.
He also emphasised the development of Business Facilitation Centers (BFCs), which will serve as one-stop service points for investors across the country, and encouraged all institutions to align their work with the broader vision of improving ease of doing business.
Additional Secretary BOI Zulfiqar Ali underscored that BOI is swiftly advancing the regulatory reform agenda under PRMI and is committed to delivering on its mandate to modernise regulatory frameworks and enhance investor confidence.
Representatives from the participating organisations commended the BOI’s leadership in bridging institutional gaps and advancing digital governance. The chairman of PEMRA acknowledged that Pakistan has lagged in adopting digital technologies but welcomed the SECP’s integration initiative as a timely step.
The Commissioner of SECP congratulated BOI and highlighted that 99.9 per cent of company registrations are now fully online, with further reforms in licensing and digital services underway, including AI-enabled systems. The CEO of DRAP thanked BOI for facilitating collaboration, noting that the integration will reduce delays and prevent forgery, while also sharing that DRAP has digitised around 70 per cent of its processes and cut medical device approval timelines to 20 days.
A representative of SNGPL remarked that with over seven million consumers, digital monitoring systems have already improved efficiency and that integration with SECP will further benefit both consumers and businesses. The representative of IESCO pointed out that while the company has been using digital systems since 2015, the new initiative will especially facilitate industrial users requiring large connections, and praised BOI’s BFC initiative.
The member from Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) appreciated the inclusion of PRA in the reform process and affirmed the authority’s commitment to adopting digital techniques for taxpayer facilitation. By the end of the meeting, Mahmood Tufail reiterated that in the near future, few more regulators will be selected, and with the consent of SECP, additional MoUs will be signed to integrate them with the SECP.
The ceremony concluded with appreciation from all stakeholders for the BOI’s coordination and vision. The integration with SECP’s eService Portal was recognised as a critical step towards eliminating manual processes, enhancing transparency, and improving the business environment in Pakistan. This initiative is part of the Pakistan Regulatory Modernization Initiative (PRMI), under which BOI continues to spearhead nationwide reforms to simplify regulatory frameworks, promote digitisation, and strengthen investor confidence.
The meeting concluded with a group photograph capturing all participants.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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