Karachi: Amid discussions by the government on downsizing operations to cut expenses, the Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has recommended merging the Ministries of Industries and Production (MoI and P) and Science and Technology (MoS and T) with the Ministry of Commerce. This strategic consolidation is aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and focus on the sectors crucial for economic growth.

According to Union of Small and Medium Enterprises, UNISAME President Zulfikar Thaver suggested that Commerce, Industry, and Technology are interlinked sectors that could benefit significantly from integrated management. The proposal includes repositioning the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), currently under MoI and P, directly under the Cabinet Division or transforming it into an SME Bureau. This new bureau would be designed to better serve the needs of SMEs by promoting exports, facilitating technology transfers, and supporting startups without the current hierarchical constraints.

The business community, under the leadership of Federal Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Federal Secretary Sauleh Farooqui, anticipates that this restructuring could lead to more streamlined and effective promotion of commerce and industry, which are vital components of the national economy.