Special Investment Facilitation Council
Formation17th, June, 2023
TypeGovernmental organization
PurposeEconomic revival of Pakistan, attract Foreign Direct Investment
Headquarters2nd Floor, Prime Minister's Secretariat, Islamabad
Location
Membership
All Provincial Chief Ministers and the Army Chief
Founder
Shehbaz Sharif
Parent organization
Prime Minister's Secretariat
Websitewww.sifc.gov.pk

The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) stands as a council initiated under the leadership of Pakistan's former Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif. Its primary objective is to entice foreign investments and stimulate the nation's economic growth. This council boasts a membership that includes all Provincial Chief Ministers and the Army Chief. Their immediate mission centers on elevating the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Pakistan to the noteworthy sum of $5 billion.[1][2][3]

Background

The establishment of the SIFC was a direct response to the pressing requirement for economic revitalization, specifically addressing the obstacles posed by bureaucratic red tape and intricate regulations that act as deterrents to foreign direct investment (FDI). With the objective of facilitating smoother collaboration with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, the SIFC strives to open up investment prospects spanning various sectors, including agriculture and information technology.[4]

Role and Function

The SIFC operates as a paramount decision-making platform aimed at spearheading essential structural reforms within the economy. In its initial phases, the forum will concentrate on harnessing the potential of pivotal sectors like information technology, agriculture, energy, mineral resources, mining, and defense production. A primary objective of the SIFC continues to be the attraction of investments from friendly nations.[1][5]

Criticism

As with many aspects of current affairs in Pakistan, SIFC also contributes to deepen the impression of Army Chief meddling in civilian matters.[6][7][8][9]

Structure

SIFC is an inclusive organization with representation from federal and provincial stakeholders in all tiers, besides Army’s representation for facilitation.

SIFC has three committees i.e. Apex Committee, Executive Committee and Implementation Committee.

Apex Committee

Apex Committee is headed by Prime Minister and includes Federal Cabinet, Chief Ministers of provinces and Chief of Army Staff on special invitation from the Government. Apex Committee will have the prerogative to co-opt any member at any of the tiers of SIFC to make it more representative and effective. The committee will meet on bi-monthly basis for review of progress.

Apex Committee SIFC
Executive body Designation Incumbent
Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan Chairman Anwaar-ul Haq Kakar
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on SIFC(SAPM) Secretary to the Apex Committee SIFC Dr Jehanzaib Khan
National Coordinator SIFC (CGS Pak Army) Member Lt General Avaist Dastagir
Ministry of Planning and Development Member Sami Saeed
Ministry of Finance Member Shamshad Akhtar
Ministry of IT & Telecom Member Umar Saif
Ministry of National Food Security and Research Member Kauser Abdullah Malik
Ministry of Energy Member Muhammad Ali
Ministry of Water Resources Member Ahmed Irfan Aslam
Ministry Industries and Production Member Gohar Ejaz
Ministry of Defence Production Member Lt Gen (R) Anwar Ali Hyder
Ministry of Defence Member Lt Gen (R) Anwar Ali Hyder
Chief of Army Staff Member by special invitation Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah
Provincial executive body Designation Incumbent
Caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab Member Mohsin Naqvi
Caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh Member Maqbool Baqar
Caretaker Chief Minister of Balochistan Member Ali Mardan Domki
Caretaker Chief Minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Member Azam Khan

Executive Committee

Executive Committee is headed by Minister of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives and a National Coordinator representing Pakistan Army besides, representation of concerned Federal and Provincial Ministers, Federal Secretaries, Provincial Chief Secretaries and Secretary Board of Investment. It will meet on monthly basis for review of progress.

Executive Committee SIFC
Executive body Designation Incumbent
Ministry of Planning Chairman Sami Saeed
Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on SIFC Dr Jehanzaib Khan
Secretary SIFC Secretariat (Additional Secretary BOI) Secretary Executive Committee Jamil Ahmad Qureshi
National Coordinator SIFC (CGS Pak Army) Member Lt General Avais Dastagir
Director-General SIFC Secretariat (Major general Pakistan Army) Member Major-general Tabassum Habib
Federal Ministry Member
Provincial Ministries Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan,and KP
  • Ministry of Agriculture
  • Ministry of Mines and Minerals
  • Ministry of IT
  • Ministry of Energy
  • Ministry of Irrigation
  • Ministry of Finance
  • Ministry of Planning and Development
  • Board of Revenues of Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan,and KP
 Member
Chief Secretaries Member


Implementation Committee

Implementation Committee is headed by Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) while, a Director General (DG SIFC) represents Pakistan Army. This tier has been organized into SIFC Secretariat and Sectoral Divisions for planning, coordination and execution of projects. The committee will meet on fortnightly basis for review of progress.

SIFC Secretariat/Implementation Committee
Executive body Designation Incumbent
Special Assistant to PM on SIFC Chairman SIFC Secretariat Dr Jehanzaib Khan
Director-General SIFC (Major General Pakistan Army) Member Major-general Tabassum Habib
Secretary SIFC Secretariat (BPS-21 Additional Secretary Board of Investment) Member Jamil Ahmad Qureshi

SIFC Secretariat works through following components:

Resident Element - includes representatives from concerned federal ministries (known as sector coordinators) and co-coordinators from Pakistan Army.

Non-Resident Element - includes Secretary Finance, Board of Investment and Economic Affair Division, Chairman FBR and Deputy Governor of State Bank of Pakistan besides, Provincial Focal Persons.

Sectors

1. Agriculture & livestock

Land Information and Management System (LIMS):

The Land Information and Management System (LIMS) is a system introduced in Pakistan to improve contemporary agricultural practices. The former Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, inaugurated the system. Its goal is to boost the agriculture sector, which accounts for nearly 25% of the country's GDP.

LIMS is based on a geographic information system (GIS), and aims to streamline the digitization of farming processes. It gives farmers online access to data on climate shifts, satellite-based crop monitoring, water usage, fertilizer application, and targeted spray zones. Its developers believe that LIMS will create jobs for the youth and rejuvenate unused and underutilized land.

Corporate farming

Under SIFC, Pakistan is looking for investment in Corporate Farming through which Pakistan is aiming to revolutionize its agriculture sector. Pakistan Army is playing key role in this by converting barren land into a cultivable land. Whereas, Measures are taken for attracting investment from gulf countries for the achievement of food security.

Farming project has been initiated by the Pakistan army in the Punjab province, where the latter has requested up to one million acres of state land and a 50-50 profit-sharing mechanism with the government of Punjab. Most of this land will be allocated in unutilized lands of Cholistan.

Similarly 41000 acres of land was allocated in South Waziristan for Pakistan Army for the purpose of corporate farming.

In December 2023, 52000 acres of land was allocated for Corporate farming in Sindh. The interim Sindh government gave the final go-ahead to allot 52,713 acres of state land for the project. Of which, 28,000 land will be handed over in Khairpur, 10,000 in Mithi, 9,305 in Dadu, 3,408 in Sujawal, 1,000 acres in Thatta and 1,000 in Badin. [10]

Agriculture Projects & initiatives

SIFC has initiated following projects in the agriculture sector:-

Cholistan Corporate farm
Project Description:
  • This business model demonstrates the feasibility of corporate farming on large scale on culturable wasteland in Cholistan with front-load cost of Rs. 37.55 billion
  • To adopt most advanced farming techniques and technologies to attain best yields of crops (60, 40, 30, and 45 maunds/acre of wheat, canola, millet, and cotton, respectively).
  • The total production of these crops, at full development, will be 14,400 mt, 6,400 mt, 2,400 mt, and 14,400 mt of wheat, canola, millet, and cotton per annum, respectively. A variety of fruits, vegetables, and legumes can also be grown in Cholistan.
Unique Value Proposition
  • Create plenty of well-paying skilled and semi-skilled jobs.
  • Introduce most modern agricultural techniques and technologies that will have demonstrable effect on other farms in Pakistan.
  • Generate significant foreign exchange.
  • The investor will attain steady growth in return on investment as shown by the internal rate of return. Pakistan has comparative advantage in producing the proposed commodities.
  • Pakistan’s agriculture is in a low input-low output rut for decades. Capital intensive corporate farming will, for the first time, introduce most advanced technologies in the sector.

Corporate Dairy Farm

Project Description
  • Rearing of 30,000 dairy animals (Holstein Friesian breed) with front-load cost of Rs. 71.99 billion to establish modern dairy farm, a milk processing plant, including cheese, butter and other allied facilities.
  • To produce milk and milk products (900,000 litres per day) for export to GCC to earn foreign exchange. Improve livelihood in the project area by generating employment opportunities to 10,417 persons over a period of more than 10 years.
Unique Value Proposition
  • The Project may be expected to benefit stakeholders for at least 10 years by: creating economic activity within the project area, Employment generation during the construction phase and project life (approximately 10,417 individuals) and business opportunities for locals. Generating tax revenues for provincial and federal governments.
  • Ample market opportunity may attract the investor.
  • The project is based on corporate farming and this is an edge over the existing plans
  • The investor will attain steady growth in return on investment as shown by the internal rate of return. Pakistan has comparative advantage in producing the proposed commodities.
  • Pakistan’s agriculture is in a low input-low output rut for decades. Capital intensive corporate farming will, for the first time, introduce most advanced technologies in the sector.

CORPORATE FEEDLOT FARM

Project Description
  • Rearing 100,000 feedlot animals with front-load cost of Rs.57.69 billion
  • To produce live animals, meat and meat products (15.52 thousand tons per annum) for export to earn foreign exchange. Improve livelihood in the project area by generating employment opportunities to more than 10,347 individuals.
Unique Value
  • The Project may be expected to benefit the stakeholders over a period of 10 years by: generating economic activity and employment (approximately 10,000 individuals) within the project area in addition to business opportunities for locals. Generating tax revenues for provincial and federal governments. Providing a better livelihood for the residents through improving education, culture and recreation activities in the community.
  • The project is based on corporate farming that may achieve higher productivity and economies of scale

2. Mines & Minerals

3. Defence Production

4. Information Technology

5. Energy

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "PM assigns special council $5b foreign investment task". Nation.com.pk. 22 June 2023. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
  2. ↑ "Briefing session for resident Diplomatic Missions held at Foreign Office, Islamabad". www.radio.gov.pk.
  3. ↑ "New 'investment facilitation' council gives Pakistan army formal seat at economic table". Arab News PK. June 21, 2023.
  4. ↑ "The Special Investment Facilitation Council's Role in Pakistan's Economic Resurgence". thediplomat.com.
  5. ↑ Raza, Syed Irfan (August 8, 2023). "Special Investment Facilitation Council approves key projects to attract investment". DAWN.COM.
  6. ↑ "Pakistan's civil bureaucracy needs an overhaul". Arab News PK. 2023-08-23. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
  7. ↑ "Pakistan's army is back in charge of politics". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
  8. ↑ Editorial (2023-05-21). "The Guardian view on Pakistan's army: go back to the barracks". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
  9. ↑ Hussain, Abid. "Pakistan army chief admits military's meddling in politics". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
  10. ↑ "Sindh to allot 52,000 acres of state land for corporate farming". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
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