The 6TH Pakistan SME Conference 2012, with the theme “Engaging SMEs to stabilize the Economy” organized annually by SHAMROCK Conferences International will be held on September 5, 2012 at the Marriott Hotel, Karachi. Delegates from Karachi and across the country have confirmed their participation.

The heads of Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCC & I) and the Citizens’ Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) will also be attending the conference. A number of commercial banks including UBL Ameen, Dubai Islamic Bank and Bank Al-Falah will be speaking on the occasion, and engaging SME stakeholders. The Etihad Airways which promotes SMEs in the region will also be featured at the conference.

Several key organizations such as the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Small & Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), Business Support Fund (BSF) of the Ministry of Finance and Union of Small & Medium Enterprises (UNISAME); IFC-World Bank Group, National Productivity Organization (NPO), Leasing Association of Pakistan and the Pakistan Institute of Management have confirmed their participation in the conference.

One of the key sessions in the conference will be on ‘Cost/Impediments of Doing Business versus Market Forces and Challenges’ which will be addressed by Syed Samar Hasnain, Director SME, State Bank of Pakistan; Mian Abrar Ahmed, President, Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Mr. Ahmed Chinoy, Chairman, CPLC.

Menin Rodrigues, Chairman, SHAMROCK Conferences International & Convener of the conference said, “We are happy to have built the ante on the subject of SMEs in Pakistan and would like to welcome banks and other key stake holders, especially SMEDA to take an active interest in this long-neglected sector.”

There are 3.2 million economic establishments in the country of which more than 90% are SMEs. It employs 75% of the non-agricultural workforce and contributes 30% towards the national GDP. The forum is open to all stakeholders to deliberate on matters that are important to support the life-line of Pakistan’s economy.

The AGENDA of the conferences website is available at www.shamrockconferences.net