Govt plans multiple annual expos as SMEs raise export and infrastructure concerns
ISLAMABAD:
The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting of SMEDA clusters to review progress, identify key challenges and outline a forward strategy for strengthening the small and medium enterprises sector.
According to an official statement, the meeting was attended by SMEDA Chief Executive Officer Nadia J Seth, Additional Secretary Industries and Production Asad Islam Mahni, SMEDA board members, representatives of chambers of commerce and industry, and members of various SME clusters from across the country.
The SAPM said the recent SME Expo marked an important milestone for the sector by providing opportunities for exhibition, networking and branding. He said similar expos would continue in the future, with plans to hold more than two events annually in different cities across Pakistan.
Akhtar Khan said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed that all SME clusters be interconnected and provided facilitation to ensure coordinated growth. He added that the prime minister’s vision was to introduce SMEs and “Made in Pakistan” products at the global level.
Representatives of SME clusters presented proposals and feedback regarding the upcoming SME Expo and appreciated the organisation of the previous event. They said practical measures were being taken to empower SMEs and raise their visibility.
Highlighting export potential, Akhtar Khan said Pakistan’s honey and olive oil meet international standards and have the capacity to develop into global brands. He said awareness of locally manufactured products could be promoted through regular expos.
Addressing sector-specific issues, he directed that a comprehensive plan be developed with SMEs and SMEDA to modernise the salt mining sector on scientific lines. He also acknowledged that electricity load shedding in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was a major challenge for SMEs and called for its urgent resolution.
During the meeting, cluster representatives said olive oil products faced hurdles from customs authorities during inter-regional transportation. He assured that these barriers would be resolved and stressed the need to promote olive oil domestically and support branding.
Concluding the meeting, he directed SMEDA to maintain continuous engagement with clusters, resolve issues with relevant departments and submit a comprehensive report with actionable recommendations, reaffirming commitment to SMEs.
