PM Sharif Directs Banks to Boost Financing for Women Entrepreneurs and SMEs

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed commercial banks in Pakistan to facilitate easier access to financing for women entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). During a high-level meeting reviewing government initiatives, the Prime Minister emphasized the sector's critical role in strengthening the national economy and enhancing export capacity. He instructed officials to present a concrete implementation plan with measurable targets within a defined timeline, expressing satisfaction with the roadmap prepared by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) and the Ministry of Industries and Production. Additionally, the Prime Minister ordered that processing sectors within agriculture be granted SME status to extend policy support and financial access to value-added agricultural businesses. The meeting highlighted ongoing efforts to improve market access through exhibitions and lower-cost bank financing. Officials reported that 48 initiatives are currently being implemented across eight strategic sectors. This directive aims to address longstanding challenges such as limited credit access and weak supply chain integration, noting that SMEs constitute nearly 90 percent of businesses in Pakistan yet suffer from comparatively low financing levels relative to regional economies.