Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating a robust and competitive ecosystem for micro, small, and medium enterprises. Speaking at Expo Faisalabad 2026 at the Expo Centre, the SAPM emphasised that the sector remains central to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision for sustainable economic growth, industrial development, and export promotion, positioning MSMEs as a foundational pillar of the government’s broader economic strategy rather than a peripheral policy concern.
Haroon Akhtar said Pakistan has militarily shown its prowess to the world and it is now time to show economic resilience and development, framing the country’s current economic push as complementary to its defence achievements rather than treating the two as separate domains of national capability. He appreciated the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s efforts in organising the exhibition, describing Faisalabad as the industrial and textile heart of Pakistan and a major contributor to the country’s exports and manufacturing sector. He said platforms like Expo Faisalabad create valuable opportunities for entrepreneurs to showcase their products, build business partnerships, and explore new markets, underscoring the exhibition’s role as more than a ceremonial trade event.
The SAPM said the government has placed special emphasis on improving access to finance, promoting business formalisation, enhancing exports, and creating an enabling environment where entrepreneurs can innovate, invest, and expand their businesses. These priorities reflect a fairly comprehensive approach to supporting MSMEs, addressing not just capital access but also the broader regulatory and market conditions that determine whether small and medium enterprises can move from informal, subsistence-level operations toward more structured, export-oriented growth.
Haroon Akhtar also appreciated the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority’s proactive engagement with the business community, noting its efforts to connect entrepreneurs with government support programmes through exhibitions and outreach activities across the country. His remarks reinforced a pattern of government officials increasingly using large-scale trade platforms such as Expo Faisalabad as venues to reaffirm policy commitments toward MSMEs, positioning events organised by chambers of commerce and industry bodies as important touchpoints between government policy priorities and the business community’s on-the-ground needs.
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