SMEDA News
The three-day “Made in Pakistan - SME Cluster Showcase Expo 2026” remained a resounding success as it drew a large number of people.
The event was organised by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) under the guidance of the Ministry of Industries and Production.
It featured cluster pavilions, exhibitor stalls and a structured platform for business-to-business and business-to-government matchmaking, alongside policy dialogues, technical sessions and an SME Awards Ceremony.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan, who inaugurated the expo, described it as Pakistan’s flagship national platform for presenting the strength, diversity and export readiness of SME clusters from across the country. He said the initiative marked a shift towards cluster-based and data-driven SME development aligned with the economic vision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
He noted that MSMEs were being presented in a more organised manner to link them with sourcing opportunities, investment channels and institutional support. “The expo is expected to become an annual feature aimed at improving the marketing capability of MSMEs and enhancing their compatibility with international markets. Clusters have been brought from across Pakistan, with particular focus on Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan, following selection through chambers of commerce, industry bodies and trade organisations,” he said. A dedicated pavilion hosts 25 women entrepreneurs and 25 microenterprises, he added.
Foreign delegates included representatives from Malaysia, Azerbaijan, the Kenyan Embassy, the Russian Embassy and Bangladesh.
CEO SMEDA Nadia Jahangir Seth said the exhibition represented a defining moment for the MSME sector, as diverse clusters were showcased on a single national platform with an emphasis on outcomes. She said value-added products on display spanned textiles and handicrafts, sports goods, leather, surgical instruments, cutlery, furniture, agribusiness, marble and granite, and light engineering.
She added that SMEDA was working on a three-year business plan focused on making MSMEs bankable, promoting internationalisation and digital literacy, supporting women entrepreneurship, encouraging subcontracting and vendor development, and building climate-resilient enterprises.
Federal Minister, Board of Investment, Qaiser A. Sheikh commended SMEDA’s efforts, while Zaki Ijaz of FPCCI and SMEDA Board member Ms Aasia Saail also spoke.
Sponsors - Habib Bank Limited, Bank Al Habib, Bank of Punjab and Pak Suzuki Motors - reaffirmed support for government initiatives to promote the MSME sector.
A large number of people visited the expo and showed keen interest in pavilions showcasing SME products from all over the country.
CEO SMEDA Nadia Jahangir Seth also took round of stalls and interacted with the exhibitors. She commended the spirit and resilience of the entrepreneurs, and assured them of helping them overcome the barriers they face.
She especially lauded Haider Suleman, who set up a stall of cutlery goods. She said SMEDA is proud of Haider who at a tender age has shown entrepreneurial spirit and become part of this national platform. She also visited stalls of women entrepreneurs and assured them of SMEDA’s all-out support in ensuring their products visibility and business improvement.
Symposiums on Pakistan’s Economic Landscape, and Digital Finance and Fintech for SMEs, panel discussions and an Inception Workshop on “Bananas in Pakistan’s bio-economy: Transforming waste into textile” were held on the sidelines of the expo.
The Government of Pakistan has launched the country’s first National Roadmap for Enterprise & Worker Formalization, marking a significant step toward strengthening decent work, enhancing SME competitiveness and advancing inclusive economic growth.
The roadmap was unveiled at a high-level event held at the ILO Country Office in Islamabad, attended by representatives from government, employers’ and workers’ organizations, development partners and leaders from key sectors including textiles and automotive manufacturing.
Developed through a year-long process led by ILO and SMEDA and supported by extensive consultations, field missions and sectoral assessments, the roadmap outlines clear priorities to simplify enterprise registration, strengthen labour compliance, improve supply chain transparency and prepare SMEs for international market requirements.
In his keynote address, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, highlighted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision for a stronger, equitable and sustainable economy. He noted that a new chapter in SME and worker formalization is beginning, stressing that an unstructured economy cannot compete with an organized global market.
He emphasized that alignment with evolving European Union trade policies has become essential and Pakistan requires urgent reforms to enhance global competitiveness. He added that the government’s goal is to establish a Single National Firm Registry under Asaan Karobar Act to streamline and consolidate business registration processes.
He further highlighted the importance of safeguarding workers’ rights, ensuring a safe working environment and promoting transparent contracting systems.
ILO Country Director for Pakistan, Geir Tonstol, underscored the significance of this milestone for the country’s social and economic development. He stated that formalization is the foundation for competitiveness, resilience and decent work.
The roadmap represents a shared national effort grounded in evidence, partnership and broad-based consultation, he said and reaffirmed the ILO’s commitment to supporting Pakistan in transitioning from planning to implementation through practical reforms, enterprise support and stronger institutional coordination.
CEO SMEDA Nadia Jahangir Seth highlighted the institution’s central role in shaping and operationalizing the roadmap. She noted that under the ILO-SMEDA partnership, SMEDA led national and sector-specific consultations, hosted the Roadmap Secretariat, established enterprise helpdesks in Karachi and Lahore, strengthened advisory and capacity-building services for SMEs, and supported studies on subcontracting and incentive structures.
The roadmap sets a unified national vision to reduce informality, improve protections for workers and enhance the productivity and competitiveness of SMEs and home-based workers. It also supports Pakistan’s commitments under GSP+, international due diligence frameworks and climate transition requirements.
The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) and the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote evidence-based policy formulation, data sharing and strategic collaboration for the development of SMEs across Pakistan.
The MoU was signed by Ms Nadia J. Seth, CEO SMEDA, and Muhammad Sarwar Gondal (S.I), Member (SS/RM), Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, on the sidelines of DataFest 2025.
CEO SMEDA Ms Nadia J. Seth said the collaboration is aligned with the SME development vision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to be implemented under the supervision of SAPM Mr Haroon Akhtar Khan and Secretary MoI&P Mr Saif Anjum for employment generation, industrial development and export promotion through evidence-based SME development initiatives.
She observed that improving the availability and use of SME-related data will enable more targeted policy interventions, strengthen business support programs and help identify opportunities for growth and competitiveness across key sectors.
The collaboration will also include capacity-building trainings, workshops and consultations to support data-driven decision-making for SME development.
This year’s PBS DataFest covered themes of Vision of Uraan Pakistan; Disaster Risk and Climate Resilience; Data for Growth and Investment; Health, Education and Resource Distribution; and Data Ecosystem, AI and Communication.
SMEDA also set up a stall at DataFest 2025, where the team equipped the visitors with information about key initiatives to advance Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision of empowering Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through financial literacy, access to finance, tech-driven upskilling and climate resilient solutions.
The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) is pleased to share an update on the ongoing SME Finance Research Study, a major national initiative aimed at identifying and addressing the key barriers that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) face in accessing bank financing in Pakistan.
This research study is being conducted in partnership with the Lahore School of Economics (LSE), the Centre for Economic Research in Pakistan (CERP), and the University of Chicago. Together, these institutions are working to generate evidence-based insights that will inform programs that will improve SME access to formal financial services.
To date, the research team has successfully recruited over 700 registered SMEs from across Pakistan and more than 100 bank relationship managers representing a diverse range of financial institutions. Extensive interviews have been conducted with both SME managers and bank officers to better understand the lending process from both sides of the market.
The project has now entered a new phase, in which referrals are being facilitated between participating bank relationship managers and SME managers. In the coming weeks, the research team will conduct confidential follow-up calls to track and cross-verify these interactions. These follow-ups will play a crucial role in shaping SMEDA’s future support programs and financial access policies for SMEs nationwide.
All participating SMEs and relationship managers are strongly encouraged to reach out to their assigned referrals—whether by phone or in person—as every interaction contributes valuable information toward improving SME financing in Pakistan.
As a token of appreciation, certificates of recognition will be awarded to:
- SMEs that successfully make contact with their referred bank relationship managers and complete short follow-up interviews; and
- Bank relationship managers who reach out to all their assigned SME managers and complete regular follow-up interviews, along with their respective branch managers.
These certificates will be jointly issued by SMEDA, the Lahore School of Economics, and the University of Chicago, in recognition of each participant’s contribution to this important national research initiative. Certificates will be issued around December of 2025, please get in touch with referrals as soon as possible.
This study represents a vital step toward creating more inclusive financial systems and supporting Pakistan’s SME sector as a key driver of economic growth and employment.
For further information, please contact:
Muhammad Asif
Deputy General Manager, SME Division
Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA)
Ph: +92 300 6363899
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