Overview
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed authorities to accelerate registration of cottage SMEs so they can access business loans and support industrial growth.
- He called for a clear implementation timeline for SMEDA’s restructuring roadmap with early execution to bring small firms into the formal economy.
- Officials reported new SMEDA offices in Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, drawing positive feedback from local chambers of commerce.
- A SMEDA board composed of private-sector experts has been formed, with the chief executive’s appointment to be finalized in the coming days.
- Planned initiatives include rural training for processing agricultural commodities and an AI-powered Womenpreneurship Platform to guide women on registration, taxes, and skills.