Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has urged banks to expand lending for farmers, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the housing sector. He said greater access to finance was essential for economic growth and promised government support for banks that increase lending.
The prime minister made the remarks while chairing a meeting in Islamabad to review the Access to Finance Plan 2026-28. The meeting examined financing under the government’s “Apna Ghar” programme, along with loans for agriculture and SMEs.
Shehbaz Sharif described agriculture as a key pillar of Pakistan’s economy. He directed relevant authorities to ensure farmers receive easy and uninterrupted access to financial resources. The government also aims to encourage greater bank participation in agricultural financing.
The prime minister also highlighted affordable housing as a government priority. He instructed provincial chief secretaries to survey properties that could support bank financing for people seeking to construct homes under the “Apna Ghar” programme.
Officials told the meeting that 147,504 applications had been received under the housing programme. Of these, 53,127 applications were approved, with a combined value of Rs313.42 billion. Banks have so far disbursed Rs45.43 billion to 8,739 applicants.
The meeting was also informed that banks provided Rs126.8 billion in agricultural loans by August 2026. Under the Access to Finance Plan, the agriculture lending target is Rs200 billion by June 2028. Meanwhile, SME lending reached Rs106.7 billion, with the same Rs200 billion target set for the sector.
Under the Zarkhez app, 35,838 loan applications have been received, while Rs7.35 billion has been approved and Rs1.96 billion disbursed. The government is also developing a system to identify mortgage-eligible plots and plans to involve major housing developers. Officials said these measures would strengthen access to finance for farmers, businesses and homebuyers.
