LAHORE: The Punjab government has designated additional deputy commissioners (Headquarters) as official focal persons for the ‘ease of doing business’ across all districts of the province.
The decision aims at dismantling red-tape, streamlining local administrative procedures, and resolving issues faced by the business community on a priority basis to foster an investment-friendly environment.
In order to equip the newly-appointed focal persons with operational strategies and digital tools, a two-day training workshop commenced at the civil secretariat on Monday.
Presiding over the inaugural session, Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman said the Punjab Innovation for Value, Opportunity and Transformation (PIVOT) programme had been launched to stimulate commercial activity across the province. He mentioned that a dedicated PIVOT Secretariat had been established at the Planning and Development (P&D) Board to oversee business facilitation measures and track investment outcomes.
Under the new regulatory framework, the chief secretary said an integrated inspection mechanism for commercial and industrial establishments would function directly under the supervision of the additional chief secretary. To ensure complete transparency and eliminate arbitrary checks, he said, all inspection data would be uploaded to a real-time online dashboard. Furthermore, all digital platforms for business ease and the inspection dashboard were being integrated into the unified e-Biz portal, he added.
The chief secretary instructed administrative officers to eliminate unnecessary procedural hurdles and establish a trust-based partnership between local administrations and the private sector.
Experts from federal and provincial agencies briefed the attendees on digital public service delivery, commercial opportunities, and administrative reforms. Alongside the workshop, the Punjab Small Industries Corporation (PSIC) organised an exhibition displaying traditional district crafts and artisanal products to highlight regional economic potential.
Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2026
