LAHORE, Jan 24 (APP):Federal Minister for Board of Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh said on Saturday that government is taking all possible measures to strengthen country’s economy through increasing exports volume, as millions of people are employed in this sector.

He was talking to media after attending a symposium held on the sidelines of ‘Made in Pakistan Cluster Showcase Expo’ organized by  policies of Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) here at Expo Center.

He added that thanks to the leadership, vision and dynamic policies of Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, the SMEDA has been reactivated and restructured, as a result of which micro enterprises have also been included in the stream of national development.

Federal Minister said that SMEDA has now reached a point where it can play a key role in stabilizing the country’s economy by bringing significant exports in the next one to two years with a modest handholding.

This progress of SMEDA, he remarked, is the result of collective efforts, in which the new CEO of the institution, his team and the Board of Directors played a prominent role. He also appreciated the services of the board members and said that the institution is moving forward rapidly under their guidance.

While mentioning the handicrafts, surgical instruments, wood and iron products from different parts of the country at the exhibition, Federal Minister said that these items are a practical manifestation of Pakistan’s export potential.

He said, the SME sector accounts for 60 to 70 percent of the national economy and millions of people are employed in this sector. He said that export-led growth is the only effective way for Pakistan’s sustainable economic development, on which the government is paying full attention.