Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistan has witnessed a significant influx of foreign investment exceeding $2 billion following the formation of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), the National Assembly was informed on Monday. Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry highlighted the council’s pivotal role in reshaping the investment climate by removing long-standing bureaucratic barriers that previously hindered international business interest in the country.
Addressing lawmakers during the National Assembly’s question hour, Dr. Fazal Chaudhry responded to a question from MNA Shazia Marri by emphasizing the positive impact of SIFC on foreign direct investment. He stated that the council was established specifically to address and eliminate the procedural complexities that have historically discouraged foreign investors from entering the Pakistani market.
“Since the launch of SIFC, we’ve observed over $2 billion in foreign investment flow into Pakistan. This reflects not only growing investor confidence but also an improvement in our overall economic indicators,” Dr. Fazal Chaudhry remarked.
The minister acknowledged Pakistan’s outdated bureaucratic systems as a major deterrent to international investment. In response to a supplementary question from MNA Arshad Abdullah, he shared a telling example, stating, “In our current system, setting up something as basic as a petrol pump requires 21 separate No Objection Certificates (NOCs). In contrast, in countries like Indonesia, establishing an entire industry requires just one.”
This comparison, according to the minister, underlines the inefficiencies that SIFC aims to dismantle. One of the council’s core goals is to digitize and automate investment procedures to make Pakistan more competitive and investor-friendly. “We are transitioning from manual, paper-heavy systems to more automated and streamlined processes,” he noted.
The Special Investment Facilitation Council was formed as a centralized platform to attract, coordinate, and accelerate foreign investments in Pakistan across key sectors. It brings together key stakeholders from the federal and provincial governments, military leadership, and private sector to provide one-window operations and ensure swift decision-making.
In response to another question by MNA Usama Hamza, Dr. Fazal Chaudhry further explained that SIFC is not only a tool for economic transformation but also a strategic asset in strengthening national security. He mentioned that Indian proxies operating in sensitive regions like Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have encountered increasing resistance, which he linked to broader regional dynamics impacting Pakistan’s security environment.
He alleged that India, frustrated by the failure of its proxies, has resorted to aggressive tactics. While shifting focus back to economic matters, he reiterated the government’s dedication to fostering a stable and secure environment that encourages sustainable investment.
Dr. Fazal Chaudhry concluded by reaffirming the government’s broader reform agenda, which includes institutional modernization and the digital transformation of administrative systems to further improve the ease of doing business in Pakistan. The government, through the continued work of SIFC, aims to maintain investor momentum and unlock Pakistan’s full economic potential in the years ahead.