Islamabad (Commerce Desk) — Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has urged banks and financial institutions to play an effective role in providing loans to farmers, small and medium-sized businesses, and the housing sector, while the government will encourage banks that increase financial support.
In Islamabad, a review meeting on the Access to Finance Plan 2026-28, chaired by the prime minister, reviewed measures related to the Prime Minister’s Apna Ghar Program, loans for the agricultural sector, and small and medium-sized businesses.
The prime minister said agriculture is the foundation of the national economy and taking measures for its improvement is a national responsibility. He directed the relevant authorities to ensure easy and uninterrupted access to financial resources for farmers.
Shehbaz Sharif said providing low-cost housing to low-income and middle-class people is the government’s priority. He directed the provincial chief secretaries to conduct a comprehensive survey of properties that could be used to facilitate bank loans for people wishing to build homes under the Prime Minister’s housing program.
The meeting was informed that 147,504 applications have so far been received under the Prime Minister’s Apna Ghar Program, of which 53,127 have been approved. The total value of these applications is Rs313.42 billion, while loans worth Rs45.43 billion have been disbursed to 8,739 people.
According to the briefing, a system is being developed to identify plots across the country that meet mortgage requirements. The initial project will be launched in Islamabad, while a mechanism will also be developed to involve renowned housing developers to make the program more effective.
The meeting was informed that banks had provided Rs126.8 billion in loans to the agricultural sector by August 2026. Under the Access to Finance Plan, a target of Rs200 billion in agricultural loans has been set for June 2028.
A total of 35,838 applications have so far been received for easy loans through the Zarai App. Loans worth Rs7.35 billion have been approved, while Rs1.96 billion has been disbursed.
Similarly, banks had provided Rs106.7 billion in loans to the small and medium-sized business sector by August 2026. Under the plan, a target of Rs200 billion in loans for the sector has also been set for June 2028.
SMEDA also provided financial management training to 1,096 small and medium-sized enterprises during the last three months.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Ahsan Khan Cheema, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Muhammad Aurangzeb and Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kiani, Prime Minister’s Adviser Haroon Akhtar Khan, State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmad, chief secretaries of all four provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, presidents and chief executive officers of Pakistani banks, and other senior officials attended the meeting.