Unisame urges SMEs to be prepared for hardships.

The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has advised the SME entrepreneurs to take precautionary measures since the war is escalating and the current state unfortunately does not indicate any resolution, the war is actively escalating
President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver said the war (US/Israel vs. Iran has been going on since Feb 28, 2026) it briefly de-escalated after an April ceasefire tied to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but that truce broke down in early July. As of the last few days, the US has carried out eight consecutive nights of strikes on Iran, and Iran has retaliated against US allies across the Gulf (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, Oman, UAE), reportedly killing two US soldiers in Jordan most recently. Iran’s leadership is threatening a “full-scale offensive.” There is no ceasefire in place right now — this is an active, widening conflict with no clear end date in such a situation the SMEs need to plan
The Gulf shipping/logistics risk is high and not resolved. The Strait of Hormuz has seen mined waters, seized vessels, and attacks on tankers. Pakistani exporters/importers routing through Gulf ports should expect continued freight delays, war-risk insurance surcharges, and rerouting costs need to plan for this as the base case, not a temporary blip.
There is oil and fuel price volatility. Crude has swung sharply with each escalation/de-escalation cycle. Businesses should budget for continued price swings rather than assuming a return to pre-February levels, and hedge fuel-dependent costs where possible.
Regarding remittances and labor-market exposure since Pakistan has a large expatriate workforce in the Gulf states which is now directly caught in the crossfire (UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman have all reported strikes or interceptions).  SMEs are advised especially those with Gulf-dependent supply chains, remittance flows, or workers there to have contingency plans for disruption.
Currency and import cost pressure is also prevalent rupee depreciation risk rises with oil price spikes and global risk-off sentiment — worth flagging to SMEs reliant on imported inputs.
They should diversify where possible. Given the unpredictability,  we encourage members to look at alternative shipping routes/ports and alternative suppliers/markets rather than assuming Gulf routes normalize soon said UNISAME chief.
He added to frame guidance to members around prolonged uncertainty and volatility management rather than betting on a near-term resolution — nothing in the current trajectory suggests a quick end.