ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has removed Investment Minister Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh from the Cabinet Committee on Regulatory Reforms, stripping him of its chairmanship and dropping him from its membership as Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan takes charge of the reconstituted body.
According to a Cabinet Division notification dated October 20, 2026, Jam Kamal Khan has been appointed chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Regulatory Reform (CCoRR), while Adviser to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar will serve as co-chairman.
The reconstituted committee will also include Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Bilal Azhar Kayani. The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) Division will function as its secretariat.
The notification states that the prime minister “has been pleased to reconstitute the Cabinet Committee on Regulatory Reform (CCoRR).” The new order supersedes the Cabinet Division’s earlier notification of April 4, 2025, and has been issued under Rule 17(2) of the Rules of Business, 1973.
The committee will consider and approve regulatory reforms under the Asaan Karobar Act, with a mandate to remove or revise rules and procedures that create hurdles for businesses and investors.
Under its terms of reference, the committee will “consider, review, and approve the legislative and regulatory reform (Regulatory Guillotine) process” established for implementing the law. It will also ensure that the approved reform process is followed diligently and obtain evidence on the reviews conducted.
The committee will approve an initial list of problematic regulatory areas for review and consider Board of Investment recommendations to eliminate or amend legislation, regulations, procedures, licensing requirements and approvals affecting the business environment.
The new arrangement also provides a mechanism for resolving disagreements over proposed reforms. The committee will approve an appeals process through which the relevant minister can explain objections to recommendations made by the Board of Investment following its review.
It will hear such appeals and, “based on the evidence,” decide whether to uphold or reject the challenged recommendations.
The committee will also take policy decisions to accelerate reforms while ensuring compliance with legal requirements. It will monitor progress on the Asaan Karobar Project and ensure timely completion of agreed milestones, including the establishment and operationalisation of a legal registry.
The notification further allows the committee to assign the Board of Investment additional tasks aimed at easing the business environment and improving the investment climate.