The National Assembly on Wednesday passed six government bills clause by clause with a majority vote, including the Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
NA passes six bills
ISLAMABAD, May 13 (APP):The National Assembly on Wednesday passed six government bills clause by clause with a majority vote, including the Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The approved legislation included the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council Bill, 2026; the Netting of Financial Arrangements Bill, 2026; the Export-Import Bank of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill, 2026; the Fiscal Responsibility and Debt Limitation (Amendment) Bill, 2026; the Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Bill, 2026; and the Islamabad Capital Territory Condominium (Ownership and Management) Bill, 2026.
While speaking on the passage of the Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Bill, 2026, Federal Minister for the Board of Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh said Pakistan needed foreign investment rather than loans to address economic challenges and reduce dependence on the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The minister noted that foreign investors frequently raised concerns over excessive regulations, procedural delays, and bureaucratic hurdles in Pakistan, which discouraged investment.
He said that during his visits abroad, including to the United Kingdom and other countries, investors repeatedly highlighted that business processes in Pakistan were slow due to regulatory barriers and restrictions.
Referring to discussions with a Chinese company, the minister said investors had compared Pakistan with Vietnam, where electricity connections and infrastructure facilities are provided promptly, making investment easier and more attractive.
Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh stressed that Pakistan urgently required large-scale investment to strengthen the economy, create employment opportunities, and reduce reliance on external borrowing.
“We do not need more loans; we need investment and want to end IMF dependence,” he added.
The minister thanked members of Parliament for passing the bill, stating that improvements in systems and governance were essential to attract investors and facilitate business activity in the country.
He further said that unless administrative and regulatory systems were streamlined, it would remain difficult to attract international investors to Pakistan.
