ISLAMABAD: In a major push to strengthen the national economy and empower the entrepreneurial youth, the Government of Pakistan has taken a decisive step. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has issued strict directives to double the volume and financing limit of easy loans for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Chairing a high-level meeting at the Prime Minister’s House regarding the performance and affairs of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), the Prime Minister resolved to expand commercial activities down to the grassroots level. The meeting featured a detailed review of the challenges faced by small business communities and the reforms required to resolve them.
During the session, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif explicitly instructed that the current lending limit for small businesses, standing at Rs 1.1 trillion, must be doubled to Rs 2.2 trillion by the year 2028. The primary objective of this strategic move is to provide robust financial facilities to small-scale investors and young industrialists.
Emphasizing the vital role of the business community, the Prime Minister stated that traders and entrepreneurs form the backbone of any national economy. He highlighted that the SME sector holds immense potential to independently accelerate the country’s economic growth engine.
Shedding light on governmental priorities, he noted that the core focus of SMEDA reforms is to empower micro-entrepreneurs. Creating economic opportunities for people in backward and remote regions will not only bring prosperity to those areas but will also significantly curb the chaotic trend of migration toward major metropolitan cities.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister directed relevant authorities to streamline and simplify the loan acquisition process so that a maximum number of ordinary citizens can benefit. He also stressed the importance of launching awareness campaigns to promote business literacy and instructed that professional feasibility studies be prepared by industry experts to guide new business owners and protect them from failures.
