Day: July 26, 2026

Lahore: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) for Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating a robust and competitive ecosystem for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Speaking at ‘Expo Faisalabad 2026’ here at Expo Centre on Saturday, he emphasized that the sector remains central to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s vision for sustainable economic growth, industrial development and export promotion.

He said Pakistan has militarily shown its prowess to the world and it’s time to show economic resilience and development.

He appreciated the efforts of Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) for organizing the exhibition. ‘Faisalabad is the industrial and textile heart of Pakistan and a major contributor to our exports and manufacturing sector. Platforms like Expo Faisalabad create valuable opportunities for entrepreneurs to showcase their products, build business partnerships and explore new markets, ‘ he said.

The SAPM said, the government has placed special emphasis on improving access to finance, promoting business formalization, enhancing exports and creating an enabling environment where entrepreneurs can innovate, invest and expand their businesses.

He appreciated SMEDA’s proactive engagement with the business community and its efforts to connect entrepreneurs with government support programmes through exhibitions and outreach activities across the country.

Earlier, SMEDA CEO Nadia Jahangir Seth said, the Authority remains committed to supporting entrepreneurs through strategic partnerships and market-driven interventions.

‘SMEDA believes that exhibitions such as Expo Faisalabad are powerful platforms for connecting entrepreneurs with opportunities, knowledge and government support services. Its participation reflects the commitment to promoting business formalization, improving competitiveness, facilitating market access and strengthening Pakistan’s MSME ecosystem through sustained engagement with the private sector, ‘ she emphasized.

SMEDA has established a dedicated helpdesk where entrepreneurs and visitors are being briefed on the flagship initiatives, government support programmes and business development services. The helpdesk is also facilitating free registration of informal enterprises through the SME Registration Portal (SMERP), enabling businesses to formalize their operations and benefit from enhanced opportunities for growth, financing and market access.

As part of its capacity-building programme, SMEDA is conducting sessions on ‘Marketing Strategies for SMEs’ and ‘Improving Product Quality for Export Markets’, equipping entrepreneurs with practical knowledge to improve competitiveness and strengthen their presence in domestic and international markets.

Expo Faisalabad 2026 has brought together leading manufacturers, exporters, investors, entrepreneurs and business support organizations to showcase Faisalabad’s industrial excellence and create new avenues for trade, investment and business collaboration.

Lahore: Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain on Saturday said that exports played a vital role in strengthening economy and emphasized the need to significantly increase Pakistan’s export volume to achieve sustainable economic growth.

Talking to the media at the Expo Centre here, he said that increasing exports would also help reduce the country’s dependence on imports. The minister said Faisalabad, Pakistan’s second-largest city in terms of revenue generation, was the country’s industrial hub and the third-largest city.

He said Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was introducing business-friendly policies aimed at facilitating the business community, promoting economic activity, and enhancing the country’s exports.

Rana Tanveer said Pakistan received record workers’ remittances of up to $41. 6 billion in fiscal year 2025-26, but stressed that remittances alone could not drive the country’s economic progress.

Referring to the export performance of Vietnam and Bangladesh, he said Pakistan had set a target of increasing its exports to $60 billion, describing the achievement of this goal as essential for strengthening the national economy.

“We can say goodbye to the IMF by boosting the country’s exports, ” he remarked.

The minister said Pakistani skilled workers were serving in many countries, describing it as a positive sign for the nation. He praised Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and said $10 billion had been sought under the Exchange Stabilization Support Facility to help strengthen the national economy.

Rana Tanveer also lauded Expo Faisalabad 2026, saying the city’s textile industry could play a significant role in enhancing Pakistan’s exports.

Referring to the international situation, the minister said there had been significant economic pressure due to the US-Iran conflict. “We need to make Pakistan strong, and the government is committed to providing all possible support in this regard, ” he added.

Lahore: The Housing Department Punjab has established a state-of-the-art command-and-control room to monitor round-the-clock monsoon drainage operations, track field machinery efficiency across districts, and coordinate real-time responses to urban flooding during the heavy rains.

On the instructions of Secretary Housing Noorul Amin Mengal, the control room was established in the Housing Department, and the Deputy Secretary Technical Control Room was appointed as the focal person.

Officers and employees were deployed in the control room, a notification was issued on the orders of the Secretary Housing, the Secretary Housing directed that timely response will be ensured in monsoon and emergency situations, contact will be maintained with all relevant institutions, and timely measures will be ensured to deal with the emergency situation.

Lahore: Nishtar Colony Police recovered a 12-day-old newborn baby and arrested a female accused. According to the police, DIG Investigation Syed Zeeshan Raza took notice of the kidnapping

of the newborn baby and directed immediate action, on which a special team was formed under the leadership of SP Investigation Model Town Usman Aziz Mir.

In-charge Investigation Police Station Nishtar Colony Ghulam Murtaza, along with the police team, safely recovered the baby and arrested the female accused.

According to the investigation in-charge, the accused was married two years ago but did not have any children. The accused established relations with the victim’s family in a private hospital and later kidnapped a 12-day-old baby from the citizen’s house and took him to Badupalli, Sheikhupura.

Lahore: Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain on Saturday said that exports played a vital role in strengthening economy and stressed the need to significantly increase Pakistan’s export volume to achieve sustainable economic growth.

He said this while addressing the inaugural ceremony of Expo Faisalabad-2026 and talking to the media at Expo Centre here. He said that increasing exports would also help reduce the country’s dependence on imports.

The minister said that Allah Almighty had blessed Pakistan with abundant natural resources and stressed that these resources must be utilized effectively and positively.

He said, “Pakistan is an agricultural country, and the development of the agriculture sector plays a vital role in the national economy. ”

He emphasized the need to adopt modern agricultural technologies to increase productivity and bring prosperity to the country, adding that the government was committed to modernizing the agriculture sector and encouraging investment in it.

The minister said Faisalabad, Pakistan’s second-largest city in terms of revenue generation, was the country’s industrial hub and the third-largest city.

He said Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was introducing business-friendly policies aimed at facilitating the business community, promoting economic activity, and enhancing the country’s exports.

The minister said the federal and provincial governments had launched various programmes to develop a skilled workforce, which would create better employment opportunities for young people.

He further stated that the government had also introduced an Ease of Doing Business system and established the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to facilitate investment and business activities.

Rana Tanveer said Pakistan received record workers’ remittances of up to $41. 6 billion in fiscal year 2025-26, but stressed that remittances alone could not drive the country’s economic progress.

Referring to the export performance of Vietnam and Bangladesh, he said Pakistan had set a target of increasing its exports to $60 billion, describing the achievement of this goal as essential for strengthening the national economy. “We can say goodbye to the IMF by boosting the country’s exports, ” he remarked. The minister said Pakistani skilled workers were serving in many countries, describing it as a positive sign for the nation. He praised Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and said $10 billion had been sought under the Exchange Stabilization Support Facility to help strengthen the national economy.

Rana Tanveer also lauded Expo Faisalabad 2026, saying the city’s textile industry could play a significant role in enhancing Pakistan’s exports. Referring to the international situation, the minister said there had been significant economic pressure due to the US-Iran conflict. “We need to make Pakistan strong, and the government is committed to providing all possible support in this regard, ” he added.

Lahore: In an exchange of fire between Gulshan-e-Ravi police and robbers, a robber was arrested in injured condition, while his accomplice managed to escape. According to a police spokesperson, the police took action about the presence of two robbers near Touheed Pully. As soon as they saw the police, the suspects opened fire, after which an exchange of firing took place between the police and the robbers.

According to the police, a robber was found injured who was identified as Shehroz involved in 48 cases. According to the police spokesperson, three mobile phones, weapons and a motorcycle were recovered from the accused.