Islamabad: In a major push to realise Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s “Made in Pakistan” vision, the 35th Board meeting of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), chaired by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries & Production Haroon Akhtar Khan on Tuesday formally announced the landmark “Made in Pakistan MSME Clusters 2025” national exhibition, scheduled for January 2026.
The high-profile event, to be personally inaugurated by the Prime Minister, will showcase hundreds of MSME products, feature dedicated exhibition stalls, host a prestigious national MSME awards ceremony, and include panel discussions with top national and international experts. A special high-level panel in collaboration with D-8 countries is also being formed, while invitations are being extended to global buyers and partners.
Auto sector expert Mashood Ali Khan, who attended the meeting, welcomed the decisions, stating, “These steps will drive the Made in Pakistan initiative, enhance SME competitiveness and create millions of sustainable jobs.”
The meeting was attended by Federal Secretary Industries & Production Saif Anjum, Acting CEO SMEDA Nadia Jahangir Seth and senior officials.
SAPM Haroon Akhtar Khan described Pakistan’s SME clusters as possessing “immense untapped potential” and confirmed that a detailed SME Business Plan – prepared with strategic support from A.T. Kearney – will soon be presented to the Prime Minister. He announced that top 100 MSMEs will be shortlisted for national recognition.
Key initiatives approved in the meeting include:
Launch of a dedicated e-commerce portal exclusively for women-led enterprises
Deployment of specialised designer and digital marketing teams to promote SME products globally
Reserved 50–100 acres in upcoming Special Economic Zones (SEZs) for ready-to-use SME facilities
Aggressive push for single-digit markup long-term financing to bridge the SME funding gap
Full policy alignment across Ministries of Finance, Commerce and Industries
Provincial coordination led by SMEDA Board members for nationwide implementation
The Board was briefed that cluster-specific business models are being finalised for both urban and rural regions, while Pakistani handicrafts will receive facilitated access to international trade fairs.
Reiterating government priorities, SAPM Haroon Akhtar Khan said enabling women entrepreneurs through digital commerce and boosting exports via stronger digital advertising remain at the top of the agenda.