Karachi: February 18, 2026 – Mian Zahid Hussain, President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum & All Karachi Industrial Alliance, Chairman National Business Group Pakistan, Chairman Policy Advisory Board FPCCI, and Former Provincial Minister Information Technology, has lauded the Sindh Government’s landmark decision to slash the Infrastructure Development Cess (IDC) and its aggressive push toward a technologically advanced security grid.
Speaking at a high-profile dinner yesterday, February 17, 2026, hosted by Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh, President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), for Mr. Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, Sindh Minister for Home, Mian Zahid Hussain stressed that these actions are vital for re-establishing investor confidence in the province.
Senior leadership was present at the event, including Additional Chief Secretary Home Mr. Iqbal Memon, Additional IGP Karachi Mr. Azad Khan, Additional IGP Mr. Sharjeel Kharal, along with a significant number of business community members.
Mian Zahid Hussain highlighted the instrumental role played by Mr. Lanjar—who also holds the portfolio of Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs—in navigating the legislative hurdles to reduce the Sindh Infrastructure Cess, from 1.85% to 0.85% (and down to 0.80% for non-litigants) is a historic relief for the industrial sector. Mian Zahid Hussain praised the outstanding leadership and dedication of Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh, President of FPCCI, and Abdul Mohiman Khan, Regional Chairman of FPCCI, in their negotiations with the Sindh government to achieve this settlement.
Mian Zahid Hussain said that with Rs. 350 billion currently locked in protracted litigation, the new settlement formula—paying 15% by July 2026 and the remainder over 12 years—provides a much-needed “breathing space” for cash-strapped businesses. The total abolition of the cess on the Export Facilitation Scheme (EFS) is expected to save the business community millions of dollars annually, making Sindh’s exports significantly more competitive on the global stage, he said.
Addressing the security landscape, Mian Zahid Hussain expressed the business community’s support for the Karachi Safe City Project (Phase I). “Security is the currency of trade,” Mian Zahid Hussain remarked. “Without a safe environment, the economy cannot flourish.”
The Minister briefed the leadership on the deployment of 1,300 high-definition cameras across 300 strategic sites, scheduled for completion within 60 days. Mian Zahid Hussain noted that this technological leap, combined with facial recognition and the Traffic Regulation and Citation System (TRACS), will finally provide the Sindh Police with the modern tools required to suppress street crime, which has historically seen over 90,000 reported incidents in peak cycles.
Mian Zahid Hussain further commended the ongoing operations in the Katcha areas, noting that the safety of the province’s trade corridors is vital for the seamless movement of goods between Karachi’s ports and the rest of the country. By lowering the infrastructure levy below that of other provinces, Sindh is effectively positioning itself as the most attractive destination for industrial relocation.
Mian Zahid Hussain urged the Sindh Government to ensure that the revenue generated from the revised cess is strictly utilized for the rehabilitation of crumbling infrastructure in industrial zones. He proposed the formation of a joint monitoring committee between the Home Department and the business community to oversee the rollout of the Safe City Project.
