Mr. Haroon Akhtar Khan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, held a meeting with the Chaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry to address pressing challenges faced by local businesses and Chaman SMEs. The meeting included Additional Secretaries from the Ministry of Industries and Production and Ms. Nadia J. Seth, Chief Executive Officer of SMEDA, who joined detailed discussions on targeted federal support.
Representatives of the Chamber stressed that Chaman, with a population approaching one million and its strategic position as a cross-border trade node, has strong potential to develop into a major SME hub. The Chamber urged that the Chaman Industrial Zone be incorporated into all relevant federal industrial schemes and support programs to unlock that potential.
Delegates highlighted an urgent need for vocational and technical training centers to build skilled manpower for local industries and proposed the establishment of a government-supported Common Facility Center to allow multiple enterprises to share machinery and reduce production costs. The Chamber also recommended creation of an Export Facilitation Desk in Chaman to streamline cross-border trade procedures for SMEs.
Calls for support to develop agro-processing and cold chain industries were underlined as vital to strengthen local value chains and enhance export readiness. Mr. Haroon Akhtar Khan confirmed that ongoing agro-processing and cold chain initiatives will be extended to include Chaman to boost local production and market access for Chaman SMEs.
The Special Assistant conveyed Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s vision for SME promotion, noting that the Prime Minister has directed facilitation and uplift for every SME across the country. He acknowledged the Chaman Chamber’s central role in cross-border commerce and assured representatives that the Chamber will be included in relevant development programs and advisory committees.
Announcing concrete steps, Mr. Haroon Akhtar Khan said that, with support from SMEDA and the Pakistan Industrial and Technical Assistance Centre (PITAC), a Technical and Vocational Training Center will be established in Chaman. He added that a Common Facility Center at the Chaman border is planned to directly benefit SMEs operating in the region and that SMEDA has been directed to facilitate the Chamber and deliver tangible results.
Participants left the meeting with clear commitments and a timetable for follow-up engagement, and Mr. Haroon Akhtar Khan reiterated the government’s assurance of full support for the development and growth of Chaman SMEs.
