ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Com­mittee (ECC) of the cabinet on Monday approved the export of 200,000 tonnes of sugar.

The ECC meeting, presided over by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, also cleared a Rs3 billion grant to purchase 15 bulletproof sedans for deployment during the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council Summit, which Pakistan is hosting this month.

The National Food Security submitted a summary seeking permission to export sugar. The ECC approved the steering committee’s recommendations on sugar, including appropriate safeguards to maintain domestic price stability in the local market.

An official announcement said the ECC approved funds to purchase bulletproof vehicles through the technical supplementary grant. It was stated that the vehicles were necessary to ensure foolproof security for heads of state.

Approves Rs3bn for bulletproof vehicles, restructuring framework for National Shipping Corporation

The ECC noted the importance of the event and emphasised the need for timely and comprehensive preparations to ensure secure and appropriate transport arrangements. The ECC also discussed and appreciated the high-profile arrangements observed during the recent heads of state SCO Summit in Kyrgyzstan as worth following.

The ECC approved the implementation framework for the restructuring of the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, as recommended by the Implementation Committee headed by the Minister of Privatisation. The Maritime Affairs Division submitted a summary of the restructuring of PNSC ownership and management control.

The meeting approved the Petroleum Division’s summary of the Draft Upgrade Agreement under the Pakistan Oil Refining Policy for Upgradation of Existing/Brownfield Refineries 2023, as amended in August. The agreement will provide the framework for the implementation and monitoring of refinery upgradation projects and associated incentives, with a five-year completion period.

The ECC also approved the Petroleum Division’s proposal to settle financial matters for oil marketing companies (OMCs), including compensation for unadjusted input sales tax claims for FY26 through the Inland Freight Equalisation Margin (IFEM). The arrangement will provide an interim mechanism for settling the claims, with due diligence and verification to be ensured by the relevant authority.

The meeting deferred the Science and Technology Division summary, which sought review of the earlier ECC decision on standards and regulatory requirements for commercial imports of used vehicles. The ECC directed that the recommendations of the committee constituted to review the EDB vehicle import inspection regime be obtained and that the summary be resubmitted accordingly.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2026