Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb chaired a fortnightly meeting of the Access to Finance Steering Committee to review progress on initiatives aimed at expanding affordable and inclusive financing across key sectors.
The meeting reviewed financing initiatives for housing, agriculture, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), exports, information technology and renewable energy, along with legal, regulatory and institutional reforms.
The finance minister said the government’s objective was to channel greater financial-sector capacity towards productive investment, enterprise creation, home ownership, agricultural productivity and exports, translating macroeconomic stability into stronger private sector-led and inclusive growth.
The committee noted that total housing finance increased from around Rs294 billion at the end of June to Rs307 billion by mid-August.
Under the Wazir-e-Azam Apna Ghar Program – Ghar Ho To Apna, applications increased 52 percent to nearly 139,000, while approvals rose 84 percent to over 46,000. Approved financing nearly doubled from Rs144 billion to Rs279 billion, while loans disbursed increased 59 percent to more than 7,600, amounting to over Rs38 billion.
The meeting also highlighted reforms aimed at strengthening mortgage-based lending, including revised housing finance regulations, simplified documentation, digital processes, longer financing tenors and enhanced lending limits.
The committee termed the passage of the Financial Institutions (Recovery of Finances) (Amendment) Act, 2026 a major structural reform, saying a stronger recovery framework would improve lender confidence and support the expansion of housing finance.
On agriculture, the number of borrowers increased from around 3.26 million at the end of June to 3.37 million by mid-August, while agriculture financing remained around Rs1.26 trillion.
Under the Zarkhez-e – Asaan Zarai Qarza scheme, more than 58,000 farmers have registered, while bank approvals increased around 12 percent to nearly 16,700. Approved financing limits exceeded Rs7.2 billion, with nearly 5,000 loans disbursed.
The committee called for faster conversion of applications and approvals into financing to support agricultural productivity, rural incomes and financial inclusion.
SME financing stood at around Rs1.05 trillion, covering approximately 330,000 businesses. The committee also reviewed a credit-scoring pilot across 13 banks aimed at improving credit assessment and expanding financing access beyond traditional collateral-based lending.
The medium-term target is to increase both agriculture and SME financing to Rs1.5 trillion by June 2027 and Rs2 trillion by June 2028, alongside an expansion in their respective borrower bases.
The meeting also reviewed measures to support export-led growth, including enhanced financing and refinancing facilities for exporters and SMEs.
The committee welcomed the Performance Based Rebate on Incremental Exports (PRIE), effective from July 1, 2026. Under the scheme, exporters achieving growth of up to 10 percent are eligible for a one percent rebate on incremental exports, while growth above 10 percent attracts a two percent rebate.
Progress under the Pakistan Accelerated Vehicle Electrification (PAVE) Programme was also reviewed. More than 83,000 applications had been received by mid-August, with around 15,800 approved and nearly 4,000 loans disbursed. Electric vehicle deliveries increased from 471 in June to over 1,500.
Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb directed regular bank-wise monitoring of financing, borrower growth, approvals and disbursements, with implementation bottlenecks brought before the steering committee for timely resolution.
He also called for greater public awareness of available financing opportunities for farmers, SMEs, exporters, prospective homeowners and entrepreneurs.
Concluding the meeting, the finance minister said access to finance was ultimately about expanding access to economic opportunities. He stressed that the government’s efforts should translate into greater investment, stronger economic activity, higher exports, employment generation and sustainable, inclusive growth.
