That the head of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization’s Investment and Technology Promotion Office (UNIDO-ITPO), Bahrain, Dr Hashim Hussain, has recently visited the country is a welcome development. The President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Atif Ikram Sheikh, had rightly described the visit as “a significant step toward strengthening cooperation for private sector development”.
The commitment of the FPCCI to working with international organizations to promote small and medium enterprises (SMEs), entrepreneurship, investment, innovation, vocational training and technology transfer, particularly for women and young entrepreneurs, is highly commendable.
During his three-day visit, Dr Hussain met people from different walks of life to foster cooperation and to deliberate upon strategies to advance bilateral ties.
Perhaps the high point of the head of the UNIDO-ITPO, Bahrain, had been his meetings with young entrepreneurs, members of the Balochistan business community and participants of the FPCCI’s Launchpad Programme, focusing on entrepreneurship, innovation, international networking and market access.
Dr. Hussain later met Meezan Bank’s management to discuss expanding financial support for SMEs.
Meanwhile, FPCCI chief Sheikh expressed confidence that the visit would lead to stronger collaboration between FPCCI and UNIDO-ITPO Bahrain in promoting entrepreneurship, investment, skills development and sustainable economic growth.
Farrukh Javed, Islamabad
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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