Government Sets Four-Week Deadline for SMEDA Reorganisation Plan

A committee formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will prepare a plan within four weeks to reorganise the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), according to a report in Dawn.

The committee, chaired by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan, is expected to recommend ways to expand business support and improve access to finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

The committee’s discussions highlighted the need for easier access to financing, business advisory services and institutional support. Khan said the reorganisation should help extend SMEDA’s services to rural communities and make government support more accessible to entrepreneurs.

The meeting also reviewed approaches used in other countries to support small businesses. Areas discussed included better institutional coordination, digital registration, wider service delivery and partnerships with financial institutions.

Dawn reported that the meeting was told SMEs make up about 99% of Pakistan’s business enterprises and account for around 78% of employment. Those figures were presented during the meeting and attributed to the briefing; the report did not provide further details on their underlying methodology.

The committee’s recommendations are expected to guide the next phase of SMEDA’s restructuring. The four-week deadline is for submitting a plan; the report does not say that the proposed changes have already been implemented.