KP govt passes Aasan Karobar Bill 2025

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Tuesday enacted the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Aasan Karobar Bill 2025, which is intended to ease business registration, licences, and permits in one online portal.

According to the law, an Aasan Karobar Portal will be established for registering all businesses in the province, issuing digital IDs, and issuing permits and licences through e-payment.

It also authorizes the creation of the Ease of Doing Business Directorate (EDBD), which will be headed by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

The directorate will be tasked with designing, renewing, and maintaining all business regulation-related services and establishing the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Regulatory Registry.

As per the objects and reasons statement, the act aims to create a one-window digital platform that will involve concerned government departments and regulatory agencies for efficiency, transparency, and accountability in the processing of business-related applications.

The government added that the framework was crafted to simplify procedures, minimize bureaucratic impediments, and facilitate trade and investment in the province.

“With the proposed legal framework, integration of concerned government departments, authorities, and regulatory agencies into a single digital platform shall be made mandatory, ensuring efficiency, transparency, and accountability in the processing of business-related applications.”

KP takes cue from Centre

With the introduction of new laws for ease of business, the provincial government has taken a cue from the centre, which sanctioned the formation of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in June 2023.

SIFC serves as a one-stop window to enable investors, create collaboration between all government departments, and expedite project development.

It is headed by the Prime Minister with membership comprising federal ministers, provincial leaders, and the army chief.

Pakistan “established the SIFC to shorten lengthy business processes through a cooperative and collaborative whole-of-the-government approach with the representation of all stakeholders,” UNCTAD from the UN Trade and Development says.

It is aimed at capitalizing on Pakistan’s untapped potential in key sectors of defense production, agriculture, mining, information technology (IT), and energy through domestic and foreign investments.