The federal government has decided to introduce Punjab’s e-Biz portal in Islamabad as part of efforts to simplify business procedures and provide investors with easier digital access to government services. The Punjab government and the Special Investment Facilitation Council have reached an agreement in principle to implement the system under a government-to-government cooperation arrangement, extending a platform previously covered for its expansion within Punjab to the federal capital.
Following approval from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the Punjab chief secretary and SIFC secretary held a meeting to discuss implementation of the project. Officials agreed to introduce the Punjab e-Biz portal at the Business Facilitation Centre in the federal capital, with authorities setting a target on the prime minister’s instructions to make the portal operational in Islamabad by December 2026.
The Punjab government, Punjab Information Technology Board and SIFC will jointly work on the project to ensure its timely launch. Officials also decided to prepare a fast track implementation plan covering technical and institutional requirements and defining responsibilities of the departments involved, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directing authorities to accelerate work to ensure completion within the stipulated timeframe.
The e-Biz portal provides businesses with a single digital platform for procedures related to starting and operating businesses, securing government approvals and obtaining various permits, aimed at reducing paperwork and simplifying interaction between businesses and government departments. The federal government now plans to replicate Punjab’s experience in Islamabad as part of broader efforts to improve the ease of doing business and facilitate domestic and foreign investors, building on the platform’s earlier expansion which had already digitized 282 business services and processed more than 67,500 applications within the province.
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