Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed commercial banks to improve access to credit facilities for women entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises, while also supporting their entry into export markets as part of broader measures aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s SME sector. The directive was issued during a high level review meeting focused on government initiatives for SME development and economic growth.
During the meeting, the prime minister stated that small and medium enterprises hold significant potential for increasing exports and contributing to national economic growth. He instructed authorities to grant SME status to agriculture processing sectors and called for the preparation of a time bound implementation strategy based on the roadmap developed by Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority and the Ministry of Industries and Production.
Officials attending the session briefed participants on 48 initiatives spanning eight strategic sectors that are intended to support growth targets over the next two to four years. The meeting included federal ministers, senior government officials, State Bank representatives, and SMEDA leadership. According to the State Bank governor, private sector lending has already exceeded the Rs904 billion target during the first three quarters of the current fiscal year, reflecting a 28 percent increase in SME financing activity.
Authorities also announced that the SME lending target for 2028 has been revised upward from Rs1,100 billion to Rs1,500 billion following the recent increase in lending activity. In addition, a dedicated export financing window established under the prime minister’s direction has already facilitated onboarding for 41 new SMEs. The measures form part of wider government efforts to improve financing access, expand export participation, and encourage greater inclusion of women entrepreneurs within Pakistan’s formal business and banking sectors.
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