SIFC — a consequence of exceptional trust level between PM, Army Chief

ISLAMABAD: A proper administrative and legal structure for the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) is being set up to give permanence to the present civil-military leadership’s vision of boosting the country’s economy and achieving the goal of self-reliance.

An administrative structure for the SIFC with its initial shape is already in place under the Prime Minister’s Office and has started work on the project, which was jointly conceived and enthusiastically pushed forward for immediate implementation by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Gen Asim Munir.

The SIFC project, considered by many as a game changer for Pakistan, is said to be the consequence of the exceptional working relationship and trust level established between the prime minister and the army chief over seven to eight months.

Under the three-tier supervision structure of SFIC’s Apex Body, Executive Committee and Implementation Committee, resident officers from both military and civil sides have been appointed for coordination and monitoring of each targeted sector, including agriculture, defence production, IT, power, petroleum, mineral, etc.

Sources said during the last few weeks of their joint work and coordination, a lot of groundwork has been done by these teams of SIFC for some major projects to be unveiled in the near future.

We are fully developing the administrative structure of the SIFC besides giving it a legal framework, said a senior associate with the SFIC. The purpose is to ensure the SIFC stays on as an effective body irrespective of the change of the government.

As per the government notification issued on June 17, 2023, the three-tier SFIC system includes 1) Apex Committee, which is led by the Prime Minister and includes the Army Chief, all provincial chief ministers, federal ministers of planning and development, finance, IT, national food security, power, water resources, industries and production, defence production and investment; National Coordinator (a senior serving Lt General) and a special assistant to PM acting as secretary to the apex body.

2) Executive Committee includes the planning minister, national coordinator, all federal and provincial ministers concerned, special assistant to PM on SIFC, all provincial chief secretaries, Director General (from Pakistan Army - Maj General) and secretary board of investment.

3) Implementation Committee comprises a special assistant to the prime minister, DG (Pak Army) and Secretary SIFC.

Under the implementation committee, a complete set-up of officers from both civil and military is being structured. For each sector, resident officers of the level of colonels and brigadiers from the military and deputy secretaries from the ministries/divisions concerned have been appointed for quick coordinated file work, approvals, NOCs, etc.

Besides federal and provincial civilian authorities, these resident officers are also working in close coordination with military authorities concerned, who are already working in the fields of IT, mining, agriculture, defence production, etc.