PM urges banks to boost financing for agriculture, SMEs, housing

September 09, 2026 (MLN): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed banks and financial institutions to expand lending to agriculture, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the housing sector to improve access to finance.

He chaired a meeting in Islamabad on measures to enhance financing facilities for the agriculture, housing and SME sectors.

The Prime Minister said the government would encourage financial institutions that take proactive steps to broaden credit availability, particularly for underserved segments of the economy.

Highlighting the importance of agriculture, Shehbaz Sharif described the sector as a key pillar of the national economy and called for greater efforts to support its growth.

He instructed authorities to ensure farmers have continuous access to financing on affordable and easy terms.

On housing, the Prime Minister said providing reasonably priced homes to low- and middle-income groups remains a key government priority, according to Radio Pakistan.

He directed provincial chief secretaries to undertake a detailed survey of properties eligible for bank financing under the Prime Minister’s Apna Ghar Scheme, aimed at facilitating prospective homeowners.

The meeting was informed that 147,504 applications have been submitted under the scheme so far, with 53,127 applications approved. The approved applications carry a combined value of Rs313.42bn, while banks have disbursed Rs45.43bn in loans to 8,739 applicants.

Authorities are also developing a mechanism to identify plots nationwide that fulfil mortgage requirements. The system will initially be piloted in Islamabad before being expanded further.

The meeting was further informed that bank financing to SMEs reached Rs1.067tr by August 2026.

Under the Access to Finance Plan 2026–28, the government has set a target of increasing SME lending to Rs2 trillion by June 2028.

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