ISLAMABAD   -  The apex committee of Special Investment Fa­cilitation Council (SIFC) on Wednesday reviewed major macro-econom­ic issues affecting the investment climate in­cluding inordinate de­lays in restructuring/ privatisation of cash bleeding state owned enterprises (SOEs). 

The committee also resolved with consensus on fast-tracking the pri­vatisation process and hence, in the larger in­terest of the country, re­duce recurring losses to the national exchequer. 

The SIFC convened 6th meeting of its apex committee to review various initiatives being spearheaded through the SIFC forum. The meeting was chaired by Caretaker Prime Minis­ter Anwaar-ul-Haq Ka­kar and was attended by “sensitive” will be heard in-camera and the docu­ments which are to be kept confidential will remain so after consulting with the counsels. The bench had earlier reserved its verdict in the FIA’s application for in-camera proceedings in Imran Khan’s bail peti­tion in the cipher case. In this regard, the FIA Spe­cial Prosecutor Shah Kha­war urged the court to hold in-camera hearing of the case as an open court hearing could harm Paki­stan’s diplomatic ties with other states. During the last hearing, Justice Aam­er had asked that if the bail plea could be heard in-camera. At this, the FIA prosecutor informed the court that under the Of­ficial Secrets Act, a tri­al cannot be made public. He added that they would move a similar plea in the trial court as well. Shah Khawar asserted that there are some statements and information that can­not be made public. He further said that they also have to place statements related to other countries before the court and shar­ing such information in an open court can affect Paki­stan’s diplomatic relations with the other countries. At this, the IHC CJ observed that when the court would write its verdict on the bail plea it would be made pub­lic so why should the hear­ing be held in-camera? Then, the bench asked about the SoPs for han­dling a cipher.