The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) today voiced its profound disappointment with the slow pace of government reforms, calling on the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM), Haroon Akhtar, to immediately prioritize a fast-track agenda to uplift the nation’s struggling small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector.
UNISAME President Zulfikar Thaver said in a statement that it is imperative for the government to address the sector’s critical requirements, including access to land on a concessional “pay-as-you-earn” basis, affordable finance and energy, and global marketing support.
The union also highlighted the necessity for technical assistance to boost modernization, tax benefits for growth, enhanced facilities for ease of doing business, and concrete measures to lower the overall cost of operations.
While acknowledging the SAPM’s dedication to reforms, Thaver stressed that the most effective strategy for rapid economic improvement is a concentrated and swift focus on meeting these identified needs.
To spur immediate change, the Union Council put forward several key proposals, including the allocation of idle land on city outskirts to entrepreneurs for establishing import substitution industries.
Further recommendations include introducing specialized, affordable markup rates for SMEs within the monetary policy and re-evaluating the current renewable energy policy, which the union claims unfairly favors distributors over the entrepreneurs installing such systems.
UNISAME also proposed the establishment of a dedicated business portal, similar to Alibaba, to provide free global marketing and worldwide exposure for the products of small enterprises.
Addressing a significant technological gap, the organization’s experts called for facilitated transfer of technology from advanced countries like China and Korea, suggesting SMEDA could arrange collaborations and joint ventures, particularly under the CPEC framework.
The union reiterated its call for tax exemptions or reduced taxation for newcomers and fledgling SMEs to ensure they have a stronger foundation during their crucial initial years.
Summarizing the appeal, Thaver said that these businesses require comprehensive support, facilities, and motivation to compete globally, urging a decisive transition from agenda-setting to tangible implementation to jump-start this majority sector.