ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed banks and financial institutions to increase lending to farmers, small and medium-sized enterprises and the housing sector, pressing for wider access to credit for key areas of the economy.
The directive came during a review meeting on the Access to Finance Plan 2026-28, a government initiative designed to expand financing for priority sectors to spur economic growth, exports and employment.
Sharif said banks should play a proactive role in providing loans to agriculture, SMEs and housing, and warned that the government would encourage institutions that fully participate in lending.
“The agricultural sector holds the status of the backbone of the country’s economy, and working for its development is a national responsibility,” the prime minister was quoted as saying in an official statement.
He instructed authorities to ensure farmers have unhindered and easy access to financial resources, and said providing affordable housing to low-income and middle-class families is a government priority.
Under the Prime Minister’s Apna Ghar Program – Ghar Ho To Apna, officials reported that 147,504 applications have been received to date, with 53,127 approved. The total value of approved applications stands at Rs313.42 billion, while Rs45.43 billion in loans have been disbursed to 8,739 applicants.
A system is being developed to identify plots nationwide that meet mortgage conditions, with a pilot set to launch in Islamabad, the meeting was told. Officials also said an effective mechanism would be devised to involve renowned housing developers to streamline the program.
Sharif called on provincial chief secretaries to conduct comprehensive surveys of properties eligible for bank financing under the housing scheme.
In the agricultural sector, bank lending reached Rs1.268 trillion by August 2026, with a target of Rs2 trillion set under the Access to Finance Plan by June 2028.
Through the Zarkhez-e app, 35,838 applications for easy loans have been received, with Rs7.35 billion approved and Rs1.96 billion disbursed so far.
Lending to SMEs stood at Rs1.067 trillion as of August 2026, also with a target of Rs2 trillion by June 2028 under the same plan.
