{
  "id": 6398995,
  "title": "PM Shehbaz urges banks to boost lending to farmers, SMEs and housing",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/pm-shehbaz-urges-banks-to-boost-lending-to-farmers-smes-and-housing",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-09T08:07:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Recorder",
    "slug": "business-recorder",
    "url": "https://www.brecorder.com/news/40438648/pm-shehbaz-urges-banks-to-boost-lending-to-farmers-smes-and-housing"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on banks and financial institutions to expand lending to farmers, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the housing sector during a recent review meeting. He emphasized the importance of increasing access to finance for these key economic areas to support growth, exports, and employment. The Access to Finance Plan 2026-2028, led by the government, aims to bolster finance for priority sectors.\n\nDuring the meeting, the prime minister urged the financial sector to lend to farmers, SMEs, and housing buyers. He highlighted the agricultural sector as the backbone of Pakistan's economy and stressed the importance of facilitating farmers' access to financial resources. The PM pledged to encourage banks that meet their loan-providing obligations and directed authorities to ensure farmers can easily obtain financial assistance.\n\nThe meeting reviewed progress on financing for the Wazir-e-Azam Apna Ghar Program, agriculture, and the SME sector. So far, 147,504 applications have been received under the program, with 53,127 approved. The total value of approved applications is Rs313.42 billion, and loans totaling Rs45.43 billion have been granted to 8,739 applicants. A system is being developed to identify suitable plots for mortgage conditions, with a pilot to launch from Islamabad. The prime minister also announced plans to involve renowned housing developers to streamline the Apna Ghar Program. The agricultural sector received Rs1.268 trillion in loans in August 2026, with a June 2028 target of Rs2 trillion. The Zarkhez-e app has received 35,838 applications, with Rs7.35 billion approved and Rs1.96 billion disbursed. As of August 2026, the SME sector received Rs1.067 trillion in loans, with a June 2028 goal of Rs2 trillion.",
  "summary": "Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed banks and financial institutions to increase lending to farmers, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the housing sector, stressing the need to expand access to finance for key segments of the economy. The development came during a review meeting held regarding the Access to Finance Plan 2026-28 under the chairmanship of PM Shehbaz. The…",
  "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."
}