The government has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering women and microenterprises as a central pillar of sustainable economic growth and export enhancement, according to an official statement issued on Friday.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) for Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan made these remarks while addressing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) and the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (PIFD) in Lahore.

Khan emphasised that women-led and microenterprises represent one of Pakistan’s most significant yet underutilised economic resources.”This MoU is not merely an institutional collaboration but a strategic national intervention aimed at unlocking the economic potential of women entrepreneurs and micro-businesses,” he stated.

The MoU establishes a framework to support micro and small enterprises, with a particular focus on women entrepreneurs, home-based workers and artisans. The partnership will promote product development, entrepreneurship and value-chain integration while facilitating access to national and international markets.

Under the collaboration, both institutions will explore the development of incubation centres, design labs and creative workspaces dedicated to fostering innovation. The initiative will also include capacity building, digital enablement, e-commerce integration, research collaboration and industry-academia linkages.