Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday, 2 November 2026, directed the State Bank of Pakistan and the Finance Ministry to take action against banks delaying loans to farmers, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and Apna Ghar applicants, while chairing a review meeting on facilitating credit for priority sectors in Islamabad.
Banks failing to provide loans under government initiatives should get no concessions from the central bank or the finance ministry; the prime minister praised well-performing banks in agriculture, housing and SME lending.
He directed the finance minister to engage SME, agriculture and housing stakeholders, address financing challenges and develop a comprehensive strategy; asked the SBP and the Federal Board of Revenue to jointly resolve tax issues of SMEs and exporters; and called for a comprehensive risk-coverage mechanism.
Figures as of 23 October 2026 (all three sources agree): Apna Ghar loans Rs511 billion approved, Rs91 billion disbursed to 15,584 applicants; overall housing finance Rs455 billion; agriculture outstanding financing Rs1,329 billion benefiting around 3.5 million people; SME financing Rs1,148 billion across 342,458 businesses; target Rs1,500 billion each for agriculture and SMEs by end of FY2027; SBP launched the SME Connect digital portal.
Sources: Business Recorder (2 Nov 2026), The Nation (2 Nov 2026), Express Tribune (2 Nov 2026).
Note: This image is an AI-generated illustration and is not a photo of the actual event.