Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan has highlighted that under the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority's (Smeda) new structure has been finalised, with a strong focus on an outsourcing model as well as policy and programme design.
He chaired the 31st meeting of Smeda board and welcomed the new board members. The meeting was attended by Industries and Production Secretary Saif Anjum, Smeda Chief Executive Officer Socrat Aman Rana and other senior officials.
Haroon Akhtar said that Smeda would now prioritise initiatives targeting the SMEs, micro-enterprises, women entrepreneurs and climate-related challenges. He announced that the authority's regional offices would be established in Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B).
A key agenda point was the appointment of new Smeda CEO. The board decided that a human resources committee would be nominated to finalise the appointment, in line with the prime minister's instructions for an immediate and transparent process.
Haroon Akhtar emphasised that Smeda was a vital institution for Pakistan with immense potential. He reaffirmed that the PM has a clear vision for strengthening the development authority and is personally committed to its success.
"The appointment of the CEO will strictly be on merit. There will be no compromise on transparency and fairness," the special assistant stated. He reiterated that the authority's role in empowering women, supporting micro-enterprises and driving SME growth would have a transformative impact on the economy and society.
"SMEs are thriving and expanding every day and Smeda has a crucial role to play in shaping this growth," he concluded.
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