Karachi, July 27, 2018 (PPI-OT): Zulfikar Thaver, president of the Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME), has felicitated Imran Khan and the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) workers on behalf of himself and the Union for gaining simple majority in the National Assembly and handsome majority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and also getting top position in Karachi and near about majority position in Punjab. The SME sector is confident PTI will make efforts for the majority under privileged sector on war footings.
Thaver said having studied the manifesto of PTI and the understanding shown therein of the need for financial inclusion, the uplift of the SME sector, promoting the housing industry also about mortgage financing, building of infrastructure and facilitating trade, commerce and industry is very encouraging and if implemented in letter and spirit it will surely boost the economy. UNISAME has full confidence and trust in the plans of PTI leadership.
However, the country needs to enhance exports to turn around the economy he emphasized and this point needs to be well understood by the new government in waiting. It is now apparent that Asad Umer is the next finance minister (FM) and will be in charge of the economy facing a very challenging situation, the Union chief therefore is very hopeful that the economy will be in the right hands and expects him to take positive steps promptly.
Thaver said to increase exports it is imperative to open non-traditional markets and non-traditional goods besides gearing up existing markets and goods and for this it is very important that national export credit guarantee insurance is required at low premium. This will enable the banks to become comfortable and finance the SMEs exports to third world countries. The banks decline discounting of export bills to third world countries because of low rating of banks in these countries and also sometimes the buyers are also SMEs.
The other important requirements of the sector are financing under ‘Pay as you earn schemes’ , filling of the technological gap, facilitating modernization and strengthening the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) to enable it to outreach the sector and uplift it. The Union chief assured Asad Umer of full support and help in overcoming the impediments.
For more information, contact:
Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME)
75/1 3rd Commercial Street,
Phase IV, D.H.A., Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-35884225-6
Fax: +92-21-35380642
Cell: +92-300-8245307, +92-321-8245307
Email: unisame@gmail.com