Islamabad (TW News) — Mashood Khan, Director of the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (SMEDA) and a leading figure in Pakistan’s auto sector, has called on federal and provincial governments to focus on tangible results rather than rhetoric, emphasising that only action can ensure the nation’s sustainable future.

“It’s not promises but delivery that secures the nation’s future. Federal and provincial governments must prioritise people’s welfare, education, health, and sustainable industry over rhetoric,” Khan asserted.

Highlighting Pakistan’s slow progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), he said poverty continues to rise amid persistent inflation and unemployment. Health spending remains below one per cent of GDP, leaving hospitals overstretched, while education receives less than two per cent — keeping millions of children out of school.

He also pointed to weak coordination on critical public projects, noting that even a long-delayed clean water initiative remains incomplete.

While 35,000 new firms were registered in FY25, Khan lamented the closure of 1,600 textile units, calling it a worrying sign for industrial stability. “Karachi, once the country’s economic powerhouse, now faces neglect, deteriorating infrastructure, and declining investor confidence,” he added.