Empowering SMEs for Growth: SMEDA and ILO Lead Enterprise Registration & Compliance Training in Karachi

Karachi, April 11, 2026: The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), successfully organized a comprehensive training session on Enterprise Registration and Compliance at Ramada Hotel Airport Karachi. The session aimed to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and contract workers in transitioning towards formalization and strengthening regulatory compliance.

The training brought together key stakeholders, including Mr. Muhammad Naeem Ansari, Mr. Kashif Mehmood from the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), and expert trainers Mr. Rafiquzzaman Khan and Mr. Jahanzaib Saleem.

Opening the session, Mr. Muhammad Naeem Ansari provided an overview of the ILO-supported initiative, outlining a strategic roadmap designed to facilitate SME formalization, sustainable growth, and enhanced competitiveness. He emphasized the importance of coordinated institutional support in enabling businesses to transition into the formal economy.

The technical sessions, led by Rafiquzzaman Khan and Jahanzaib Saleem, offered in-depth guidance on the legal, procedural, and operational dimensions of enterprise registration and compliance. Participants were walked through practical steps involved in business registration, documentation requirements, and post-registration compliance obligations.

A key highlight of the session was the active engagement by Mr. Kashif Mehmood, who addressed participants’ queries regarding the SECP registration portal and provided hands-on guidance on navigating the digital registration process. His interaction enabled participants to better understand regulatory procedures and reduce common barriers to formalization.

The session concluded with an interactive discussion where participants shared their experiences and challenges, reinforcing the need for continued facilitation and awareness to advance SME formalization and promote decent work standards across value chains.

Formalization remains critical for Pakistan’s economic future. It enhances SMEs’ access to finance, strengthens legal protection, improves productivity, and enables integration into global value chains, while also promoting decent work and transparency.

As Pakistan’s apex SME development organization, SMEDA continues to play a pivotal role in driving enterprise formalization by simplifying registration processes, building awareness on compliance requirements, and facilitating linkages between SMEs and regulatory bodies such as SECP. Through targeted capacity-building initiatives, SMEDA is actively enabling small businesses to transition from the informal to the formal economy—unlocking access to finance, markets, and institutional support.

Building on the success of the Karachi session, SMEDA, in collaboration with ILO and relevant stakeholders, will expand this initiative to other key business hubs. Upcoming training and awareness sessions are planned in Lahore, Kasur, and additional engagements in Karachi to ensure wider outreach and impact.

These sessions will continue to provide hands-on support to SMEs, promote ease of doing business, and contribute to building a more formalized, competitive, and resilient SME sector in Pakistan.