The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kiyani, Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Commerce and Industries Rana Ihsan Afzal, Prime Minister's Coordinator for SMEs Rana Attique, Federal Secretary for Industries and Production Ihsan Ali Mangi, Federal Secretary for Commerce Jawad Paul, members of the SMEDA Board, the Chief Executive Officer of SMEDA Ms Nadia J Seth, Additional Secretary for Industries and Production Ms. Humaira Zia Mufti and other senior government officials.

During the meeting, Haroon Akhtar Khan said that SMEDA had remained dormant for years but had been revitalised under the vision of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. He emphasised that the institution had significant potential to support entrepreneurship, strengthen small businesses and contribute to national economic growth.

The Adviser said that the Prime Minister had directed that SMEDA’s outreach be substantially expanded to cover micro, small and medium enterprises, with particular attention to women entrepreneurs and businesses operating in rural and underserved areas.

He stressed that access to finance, business advisory services and institutional support must reach small entrepreneurs at the grassroots level. The objective, he said, was to extend SMEDA’s services to every small rural community and ensure that aspiring entrepreneurs could benefit from government support regardless of their location.

Haroon Akhtar Khan noted that the appointment of Rana Attique as Chief Coordinator for SMEs reflected the government’s commitment to strengthening coordination and improving support for the small and medium enterprise sector.

He said that the Prime Minister had constituted the committee to develop a comprehensive plan for the reorganisation of SMEDA. Members of the SMEDA Board had also been included in the committee to ensure institutional input and meaningful consultation in preparing the reform proposals

The Adviser emphasised that the reorganisation process should focus on improving the institution’s performance, expanding its nationwide outreach and enhancing the quality and accessibility of its services. He added that SMEDA should emerge as a more effective institution capable of addressing the practical challenges faced by entrepreneurs and helping businesses grow.

The committee decided to examine international best practices and successful institutional models to develop a comprehensive and practical reorganisation plan tailored to Pakistan’s economic and business environment. The committee will submit its reorganisation proposals to the Prime Minister within four weeks.

Highlighting the economic significance of the sector, Haroon Akhtar Khan said that small and medium enterprises account for approximately 99 per cent of Pakistan’s business enterprises and play a significant role in employment generation, contributing to around 78 per cent of employment.

He underscored that strengthening SMEs was essential for generating employment, promoting entrepreneurship, expanding economic opportunities and supporting inclusive economic growth.

The Adviser reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming SMEDA into a more accessible, responsive and effective institution that could facilitate entrepreneurs, improve access to finance and promote business development across the country.