PM Shehbaz Sets Rs2tr Lending Targets For Agriculture, SMEs.
✧ GENERATE BRIEFING +
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has chaired a high-level review meeting to fast-track the Access to Finance Plan (2026–2028), directing commercial banks and financial institutions to significantly scale up credit outreach toward agriculture, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and affordable housing. Under the comprehensive multi-year roadmap, the government has set a firm target to expand formal bank lending to both the agricultural and SME sectors to Rs2 trillion each by June 2028. Current financing baselines show agricultural credit standing at Rs1.268 trillion and SME financing at Rs1.067 trillion as of August 2026. To streamline execution, the administration highlighted strong traction in digital credit channels, noting that the Zarkhez-e application has processed 35,838 agricultural loan requests, yielding Rs7.35 billion in approvals and Rs1.96 billion in direct disbursements. Furthermore, progress under the Wazir-e-Azam Apna Ghar Programme has seen 147,504 total applications, with 53,127 approved amounting to Rs313.42 billion, alongside Rs45.43 billion disbursed to 8,739 beneficiaries.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed banks and financial institutions to expand lending to farmers, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the housing sector as the government seeks to widen access to formal finance under its Access to Finance Plan 2026–2028.
During a review meeting, the prime minister stressed that farmers should have easier access to credit and said banks that actively support priority sectors would be encouraged by the government. He described agriculture as a backbone of Pakistan’s economy and called its development a national responsibility.
The government has set a target of increasing agricultural lending to Rs2 trillion by June 2028. Bank financing to the agriculture sector stood at Rs1.268 trillion in August 2026, according to the meeting briefing.
The SME lending target has also been set at Rs2 trillion by June 2028, compared with outstanding financing of Rs1.067 trillion as of August. The plan is aimed at improving financing access for businesses that remain an important source of employment and economic activity.
Under the government’s digital Zarkhez-e initiative, 35,838 applications for agricultural loans have been received. Of these, Rs7.35 billion has been approved, while Rs1.96 billion has already been disbursed to applicants.
Housing finance was another major focus of the meeting. Under the Wazir-e-Azam Apna Ghar Programme – Ghar Ho To Apna, 147,504 applications have been received, with 53,127 approved. The approved financing amounts to Rs313.42 billion, while banks have disbursed Rs45.43 billion to 8,739 applicants.
The government is also developing a mechanism to identify plots that meet mortgage requirements, initially through a pilot in Islamabad. Authorities are considering greater participation by established housing developers to streamline the programme and expand affordable housing finance for low- and middle-income households.Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed banks and financial institutions to expand lending to farmers, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the housing sector as the government seeks to widen access to formal finance under its Access to Finance Plan 2026–2028.
During a review meeting, the prime minister stressed that farmers should have easier access to credit and said banks that actively support priority sectors would be encouraged by the government. He described agriculture as a backbone of Pakistan’s economy and called its development a national responsibility.
The government has set a target of increasing agricultural lending to Rs2 trillion by June 2028. Bank financing to the agriculture sector stood at Rs1.268 trillion in August 2026, according to the meeting briefing.
The SME lending target has also been set at Rs2 trillion by June 2028, compared with outstanding financing of Rs1.067 trillion as of August. The plan is aimed at improving financing access for businesses that remain an important source of employment and economic activity.
Under the government’s digital Zarkhez-e initiative, 35,838 applications for agricultural loans have been received. Of these, Rs7.35 billion has been approved, while Rs1.96 billion has already been disbursed to applicants.
Housing finance was another major focus of the meeting. Under the Wazir-e-Azam Apna Ghar Programme – Ghar Ho To Apna, 147,504 applications have been received, with 53,127 approved. The approved financing amounts to Rs313.42 billion, while banks have disbursed Rs45.43 billion to 8,739 applicants.
The government is also developing a mechanism to identify plots that meet mortgage requirements, initially through a pilot in Islamabad. Authorities are considering greater participation by established housing developers to streamline the programme and expand affordable housing finance for low- and middle-income households.
