Finance Minister Ayesha Ghaus Pasha. PHOTO: INP
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan can learn a lot from Turkey’s experience in developing its small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), said Punjab Finance Minister Ayesha Ghaus Pasha.
“We want to see the kind of enabling incentive environment that has been created in Turkey, which has promoted the SME sectors,” said Pasha while talking to the Anadolu Agency in Ankara.
“We would like to see how they have overcome some of the challenges,” she added, noting Turkey’s steps to provide credit, technical training and skills.
“Taking our SME sector’s level to Turkey’s current level while collaborating with KOSGEB (Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organisation of Turkey) is also one of our targets,” said the minister. She said that almost two-thirds of SMEs in Pakistan operate in Punjab, while 65% of the population was aged between 15 and 25 years, for whom the government wanted to generate employment.
The SME sector is pivotal to economic growth, Pasha added.
Punjab Minister of Industries, Commerce and Investment Sheikh Allaudin also expressed hope to benefit from KOSGEB’s knowledge and experience with SMEs.
SMEDA officials are in Ankara to exchange views on SME policies and get information on KOSGEB’s structure and support models.
KOSBEG Head Recep Bicer said his organisation wants to see Pakistan as a business centre and as an opening to Asia and the Far East markets.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2017.
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