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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has lowered the threshold for defining microenterprises to include companies with annual revenues of up to Rs30 million ($106,000) under the national Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) development framework, and has finalized a draft Women’s Entrepreneurship Policy, the Prime Minister’s Office said on Tuesday.

The measures are part of a broader push by the government to revive the economy by expanding private-sector innovation and participation following years of economic distress. Pakistan’s financial outlook began improving after securing several International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans and introducing structural reforms that stabilized macroeconomic indicators.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a review meeting of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority's (SMEDA) steering committee to evaluate the performance of the SME sector. Officials briefed him on reforms aimed at enhancing the authority’s institutional capacity and outreach.

“Companies with annual business up to Rs30 million have been classified as microenterprises and brought under SMEDA’s scope on the instructions of the Prime Minister,” the statement said. “The draft of the Women Entrepreneurship Policy has also been prepared and will soon be submitted to the federal cabinet for approval.”

Other initiatives discussed during the meeting included the upcoming launch of a digital portal for women entrepreneurs and outsourcing of work related to SMEDA’s credit scoring model, SME subcontracting legal framework and export enhancement strategy.

SMEDA is also conducting a survey of 20 economic sectors in collaboration with the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the statement said.

"Small and medium-sized enterprises hold a vital place in the country’s development and economy," the prime minister said while addressing the gathering.

"The government is working on a priority basis to promote small and medium-sized businesses," he added.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s election commission on Tuesday disqualified the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, and eight other lawmakers from former prime minister Imran Khan’s party, days after an anti-terrorism court convicted them for involvement in violent protests in May 2023.

The decision comes amid fresh demonstrations by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to mark the second anniversary of his imprisonment and to demand an audit of February 2024 general elections.

The lawmakers were convicted on July 31 by an anti-terrorism court in Faisalabad for their alleged roles in riots that broke out in May 2023 following Khan’s brief arrest on corruption charges. The protests saw hundreds of PTI supporters storm government and military installations in scenes that triggered a wide-reaching state crackdown and mass arrests.

In a notification issued Tuesday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said the lawmakers were disqualified under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution, which bars any individual from holding office if convicted of an offense involving “moral turpitude” and sentenced to at least two years in prison.

“In pursuance of orders dated 31.07.2025 passed by the Anti-Terrorism Court Faisalabad... Senator Shibli Faraz, Omar Ayub, MNA from NA-18 Haripur, Rai Haider Ali, MNA from NA-96 Faisalabad-II, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, MNA from NA-104 Faisalabad-X, Rai Hassan Nawaz Khan, MNA from NA-143 Sahiwal-III, Zartaj Gul, MNA from NA-185 DG Khan-II, Muhammad Ansar Iqbal, MPA from PP-73 Sargodha-III, Junaid Afzal, MPA from PP-98 Faisalabad-I, and Rai Muhammad Murtaza Iqbal, MPA from PP-203 Sahiwal-VI are hereby disqualified,” the ECP said.

“Consequently, their seats have become vacant.”

Last week, an anti-terror court in Faisalabad sentenced PTI leaders, including Omar Ayub Khan, Shibli Faraz, Hamid Raza, and Zartaj Gul Wazir, to 10 years imprisonment for their involvement in the May 9 riots.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar had welcomed the court’s ruling, accusing PTI supporters of setting fire to government buildings, damaging military property and injuring law enforcement personnel during the May 9, 2023 unrest.

“This is a story of sacrifice to save the world from terrorism,” he said after the ruling.

“Pakistan is a wall between terrorists and the world... if this wall becomes weak, the fire will not stop at our borders.”

Khan’s party denies encouraging violence and has rejected the terrorism charges against its members. Khan says he was in jail when the protests took place and did not direct the violence.

The latest disqualifications come as the PTI is holding protests to call for Khan’s release and push for an enquiry of the February 8 general elections, which the party alleges were rigged. Pakistan’s election authorities deny the allegations.

Khan’s candidates, contesting as independents due to a ban on PTI’s electoral symbol, emerged as the largest bloc in the February vote. However, rival parties later joined hands to form a coalition under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who denies any wrongdoing or electoral manipulation.

Ahead of Tuesday’s demonstrations, local administrations in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Lahore and other cities imposed bans on public gatherings and dozens of PTI workers were reportedly detained overnight.