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ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, chaired by Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, approved a Technical Supplementary Grant (TSG) of Rs 6.6 billion for the purchase of 30 bullet-proof vehicles to be used during the SCO Summit that Pakistan will host in September 2027, scaling back the Cabinet Division’s original request of Rs 12.6 billion.
The ECC bullet-proof vehicles decision was among several items taken up at the committee’s meeting held at the Finance Division on Sunday.
Background: What the ECC Decided
The Cabinet Division had sought approval of a full Rs 12.6 billion TSG to procure bullet-proof vehicles for the movement of visiting Heads of State during the 2027 SCO Summit. After detailed deliberation, the ECC approved only half the amount — Rs 6.6 billion for 30 vehicles — and directed the Cabinet Division to return with a further, need-based demand along with an in-depth justification if additional vehicles are required. The phased approach to the ECC bullet-proof vehicles request signals a more cautious posture on big-ticket security expenditure ahead of the summit.
Separately, a summary from the Ministry of National Food Security & Research on Minimum Indicative Prices (MIPs) for the tobacco crop and revised cess rates for FY 2026-27 was deferred, with the ministry asked to resubmit the case with stronger justification. The ECC did, however, approve the ministry’s recommendations for resolving issues around the export of donkey meat and hides from the Gwadar Free Zone, subject to the safeguards proposed by the ministry, and approved continuation of gas supply to FatimaFert and Agritech under existing arrangements until September 30, 2026.
On the education side, the ECC approved Rs 5 billion in seed money for the Daanish Schools Authority Fund, to be provided as a TSG and maintained under an endowment framework. The committee also reviewed progress on the Pakistan Skills Impact Bond (PSIB), for which a government guarantee had earlier been extended, and set September 30, 2026 as the deadline for the Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training to share substantive progress.
Public Reaction
Discussion on social media following the press release has centred largely on the ECC bullet-proof vehicles allocation, with commentary split between those who view the spending as a necessary security requirement for hosting international heads of state at the SCO Summit, and others questioning the scale of the outlay at a time of fiscal constraint. The ECC’s decision to approve only half the requested amount and seek further justification for any additional vehicles has been noted by some commentators as a sign of tighter scrutiny on supplementary grants.
Analysts’ View
Fiscal watchers tracking government expenditure note that the ECC’s handling of the ECC bullet-proof vehicles request — approving a reduced amount and asking for a detailed need analysis before releasing more — reflects an effort to tie security-related supplementary spending more closely to demonstrated requirements rather than approving the full ask in one go. Analysts also point to the deferral of the tobacco MIP and cess rate summary as consistent with this pattern, with the committee opting to wait for stronger data-backed justification before revising a policy that affects both growers and revenue collection. The time-bound conditions attached to the Daanish Schools Authority Fund seed money and the PSIB progress review are seen as part of a broader push for tighter monitoring of public funds and guarantees extended by the government.
