ECC slashes SCO summit vehicles budget
Rs6.6b approved for bullet-proof vehicles against demand for Rs12.6b
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of Pakistan's Cabinet has reduced the budget for security vehicles at the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit by nearly half. The Finance Ministry confirmed that the ECC approved a technical supplementary grant of Rs6.6 billion for the purchase of 30 bulletproof vehicles, instead of the initially proposed 35 Mercedes 680 S45 class, 29 BMW X5, and six Toyota LC300 vehicles.
The ECC directed the Cabinet Division to conduct a detailed need analysis and resubmit the proposal if further funds are required. The reduction was announced after discussions with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar. The government is hosting the SCO Summit in Pakistan in September 2027, and has a committee chaired by Ishaq Dar to finalize security arrangements.
The ECC also reviewed proposals related to tobacco crop prices and export of donkey meat and hides, as well as a continuation of gas supply to two industrial projects.
Written by urgent.news from The Express Tribune - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
