Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed SMEDA, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority, to formulate a comprehensive strategy for financial support to small and medium-sized industries and entrepreneurs across Pakistan.
Chairing a review meeting in Islamabad on SMEDA's initiatives for SME financing and facilitation, the prime minister said the authority's institutional mission must prioritize business promotion, equal facilities and uniform technical assistance in all regions of the country.
He directed that SMEDA's ongoing program to ensure women's participation in small and medium-sized industries and businesses be further expanded, and called for effective use of digital platforms to give local entrepreneurs access to national and international commercial markets.
Sharif instructed that SMEDA's business promotion strategy cover as many regions and sectors as possible, and directed the authority to prepare a plan with special measures to streamline production and trade linkages for agricultural commodities.
The prime minister emphasized that equal attention be given to financial support for entrepreneurs, enhancing technical capacity and providing facilities.
A briefing at the meeting said steps are being taken at every level to strengthen small and medium-sized industries and support entrepreneurs, and that work is underway on the world's best practices to increase exports from small-business-linked industrial production and expand access to global markets.
The briefing said SMEDA is working on a coordinated and comprehensive strategy in collaboration with various relevant institutions.
Attendees included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, the prime minister's adviser on trade Haroon Akhtar, Chairman Prime Minister's Youth Program Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, and officials from relevant government institutions.
