DNA

QUETTA, NOV 24 – The first meeting of the Balochistan Regulatory Reform Committee (BRRC) was held today in Quetta. Formed with the support and technical assistance of the International Trade Centre (ITC) under the European Union funded Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress (GRASP) project, the Planning and Development Department notified the constitution of Balochistan Regulatory Reform Committee (BRRC) on 8^th September 2020.

Mr. Ghulam Farooq, Secretary Planning and Development Department, chaired the meeting attended by BRRC members, which included representatives from key provincial government departments, private sector organizations and academia. Secretary Livestock Mr. Tayyab Lahry expressed his interest in the project, and gave his valuable inputs on ways the committee could be mutually beneficial to the GRASP, government institutions, and SME’s in the province. Mr. Dawood Bazai, DG Small Industries, Mr. Imran, Additional Secretary Agriculture, representatives from Women Development Department, ITC GRASP staff and other key stakeholders from the agriculture and development sector also joined the event.

GRASP Deputy Coordinator Mr. Owais Khattak gave a detailed overview of the functions and purpose of BRRC. He explained that the objective of the BRRC is to advance policy dialogue among public sector, private sector and academia to take a holistic view of the regulatory environment and build consensus among the stakeholders for new laws and policies. Inter-Departmental coordination realized through BRRC will ensure that different laws and policies developed by different Departments of the government are mutually supportive.

Mr. Ghulam Farooq, Secretary Planning and Development Department while concluding the session acknowledged the efforts of all stakeholders and stated that establishment of this forum is a significant step for policy coherence. All key stakeholders are required to work in close liaison in regulatory reforms to address common challenges in the area of policy design and its implementation. A conducive regulatory regime and effective implementation of business-friendly policies are important prerequisites for the growth and sustainability of MSMEs and the competitiveness of the value chains, added Mr. Jahanzeb Khan, GRASP lead for Balochistan.

GRASP is a six-year project designed to reduce poverty in Pakistan by strengthening small-scale agribusinesses in Balochistan and Sindh, and is implemented with active participation from local partners. It will help small and medium-sized enterprises in horticulture and livestock become more competitive by making improvements at all levels of the value chain.