{
  "id": 17814796,
  "title": "PM directs no leniency for banks slow in providing loans to farmers, SMEs",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/pm-directs-no-leniency-for-banks-slow-in-providing-loans-to-farmers",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-02T14:52:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn - Pakistan",
    "slug": "dawn-pakistan",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2041633/pm-directs-no-leniency-for-banks-slow-in-providing-loans-to-farmers-smes"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has directed that banks must not be lenient when it comes to granting loans to farmers, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and consumers through the Prime Minister’s Apna Ghar Scheme. The housing and construction loans, valued up to Rs10 million, were to be provided on easy instalments upon the scheme's launch by the prime minister in April. During a review meeting, chaired by the prime minister, it was emphasized that improving the economy through SMEs, housing, and agriculture development, as well as providing employment to the youth, is the government's top priority. The prime minister expressed commendation for banks that efficiently provide loans to agriculture, housing, and SMEs under government schemes. He stressed that no leniency should be shown by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Ministry of Finance towards banks that are slow in providing loans to farmers, SMEs, and consumers under the Apna Ghar Scheme. The prime minister underscored that banks are crucial for the development of the private sector and that they should mirror the cooperation received from the government and government institutions. SMEs have the potential to drive economic growth, promote exports, and create employment opportunities. The agriculture sector is identified as the backbone of the national economy, and efforts are being made to increase exports through value addition of agricultural commodities. The Apna Ghar Scheme is expected to boost several industries associated with housing and construction. The prime minister directed the finance minister to resolve financing issues for SMEs, agriculture, and housing stakeholders and prepare a comprehensive action plan. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is working on three fundamental pillars to increase loan provision to priority sectors, including improving regulations, risk-sharing partnerships between the government and banks, and promoting digital facilities. A digital portal has been launched for businesspersons to apply for loans and track their application progress. Significant progress has been made by the SBP in providing loans on a priority basis to housing, agriculture, and SMEs. As of October 23, loans worth Rs511 billion have been approved, with 86,899 loans approved and 15,584 applicants disbursed loans worth Rs91 billion. In the housing finance sector, the loan volume has reached Rs455 billion, with 187,317 beneficiary borrowers. In the agricultural sector, the loan volume stands at Rs1,329 billion, with nearly 3.5 million beneficiaries. In the SMEs sector, the loan volume is Rs1,148 billion, and 342,458 businesspersons have obtained loans. The government has introduced risk-sharing and credit-guarantee initiatives for the housing, agriculture, and SME sectors, along with efforts to simplify loan procedures, reduce documentation requirements, and enhance access to financial resources through a digital system.",
  "summary": "Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday directed that no leniency should be shown to banks who were slow in providing loans to farmers, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and consumers under the Prime Minister’s Apna Ghar Scheme. The scheme was launched by the prime minister in April, under which housing and construction loans of up Rs10 million were to be given on easy instalments. In a…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}