ECC okays Rs6.6bn for bulletproof vehicles

AI Summary

Pakistan’s Economic Coordination Committee approved Rs6.6 billion to purchase 30 bulletproof vehicles for the 2027 SCO summit and extended gas supplies to local fertilizer plants amid LNG shortages. The committee deferred tobacco cess rate proposals and approved several other government grants and export permissions.

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Monday approved a supplementary grant of Rs6.6 billion to purchase 30 bulletproof vehicles for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit next year and allowed continuation of gas supply to two Punjab-based fertiliser plants. The ECC meeting, presided over by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, was asked by the Cabinet Division to approve a supplementary grant of Rs12.6bn to purchase over 50 bulletproof vehicles for the movement of Heads of State during the SCO Summit. The Summit is to be hosted by Pakistan in September 2027. The ECC discussed the proposal in detail and, after due deliberation, approved a Rs6.6bn grant for the purchase of 30 bullet-proof vehicles. It asked the Cabinet Division to revert later with any additional requirement, after conducting an in-depth need analysis for any further demand, and to bring up the case again if required. The meeting considered a summary from the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MoNFSR) on Minimum Indicative Prices for the tobacco crop and the revision of cess rates for 2026-27. However, the meeting was not satisfied with the justifications and concluded that the proposal required further justification. Accordingly, it deferred the agenda and directed the ministry to resubmit the proposal. Extends gas supply to Fatima Fertiliser and Agritech amid LNG shortage The meeting also approved the export of donkey meat and hides from the Gwadar Free Zone, along with the required safeguards, at the request of the MoNFSR and on the recommendations of the committee constituted to resolve issues relating to the matter. The ECC also approved a request from the MoNFSR to continue the gas supply to Fatima Fertiliser and Agritech until Sept 30 under the existing arrangement, to ensure fertiliser production due to the non-availability of imported liquefied natural gas. At the request of the Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training, the ECC also approved a Rs5bn supplementary grant as seed money for the Daanish Schools Authority Fund, to be maintained under the Endowment framework. In addition, the ECC conducted a progress review of the Pakistan Skills Impact Bond (PSIB) and set September 30, 2026, as the deadline for the Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training to share substantive progress against the initiative, for which the GoP guarantee was extended. Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2026