ECC Approves Rs6.6bn for SCO Summit Vehicles

Pakistan's Economic Coordination Committee has approved Rs6.6 billion for the purchase of 30 bulletproof vehicles for next year's Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, cutting down an earlier request that sought almost twice that amount.

What the ECC approved

The decision was taken at an ECC meeting chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. The Cabinet Division had sought Rs12.6 billion for more than 50 bulletproof vehicles to move visiting heads of state and senior dignitaries during the SCO summit, which Pakistan is scheduled to host in September 2027.

After discussion, the committee approved a technical supplementary grant of Rs6.6 billion for 30 vehicles. It also directed the Cabinet Division to conduct a detailed requirement assessment before bringing any request for additional vehicles back to the committee.

Why the vehicles matter

The SCO summit is expected to bring leaders and senior officials from several major regional states to Pakistan. Such events require secure transportation, route planning, emergency backup arrangements and coordination between federal security agencies, local administration and protocol officials.

The approved vehicles are therefore not ordinary fleet purchases. They are being framed as part of Pakistan's logistical preparation for a high-profile diplomatic event. The political sensitivity comes from the price tag and the timing, with public finances already under pressure.

A smaller allocation than requested

The ECC's decision reduced the original proposal from Rs12.6 billion to Rs6.6 billion. That is a notable cut, but it does not end the debate. The committee left room for further requests if the Cabinet Division can justify them after a stronger needs assessment.

That wording suggests the government wants to balance security requirements with expenditure control. It also creates a paper trail for any later increase, which could matter if the procurement attracts parliamentary, media or public scrutiny.

Other ECC decisions

The meeting also handled several unrelated economic and administrative matters. It approved continuation of gas supply to Fatima Fertiliser and Agritech until September 30 under the existing arrangement. The stated purpose was to keep fertiliser production running amid constraints in imported LNG availability.

The committee also approved export of donkey meat and hides from the Gwadar Free Zone, subject to safeguards recommended by the relevant committee. A tobacco pricing and cess proposal from the Ministry of National Food Security and Research was deferred because the ECC was not satisfied with the justification provided.

Education and skills funding

The ECC approved Rs5 billion as seed money for the Daanish Schools Authority Fund. The grant will be maintained under an endowment framework, according to the reporting on the meeting.

The committee also reviewed progress on the Pakistan Skills Impact Bond and set September 30, 2026, as the deadline for the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training to provide substantive updates. That deadline indicates the government wants measurable progress before the guarantee-linked programme moves further.

What to watch next

The vehicle procurement will likely draw attention because it combines security, diplomacy and spending. Pakistan has a legitimate need to protect visiting delegations during a summit of this scale, but the public will also expect a clear explanation of cost, number of vehicles and long-term use after the event.

The ECC has approved the first allocation, but the important accountability question is still ahead. If more money is requested, the Cabinet Division will need to show why additional vehicles are necessary and whether the fleet will serve a defined public purpose after the SCO summit is over.

The wider meeting also shows how many spending and supply decisions are now competing for cabinet-level attention. Summit security, fertiliser gas, school financing and skills funding are very different files, but each one carries a budget or production consequence. That makes the ECC's follow-up deadlines important, because approvals without later progress checks can quickly become another layer of unresolved public spending.