Islamabad: The Finance Minister of Pakistan, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, chaired the second meeting of the Access to Finance Steering Committee to review the implementation of the Prime Minister’s Access to Finance Plan 2026-2028. The committee discussed progress in SME, agriculture, and housing finance, with a focus on improving access to finance across priority sectors.

According to Press Information Department, the meeting featured a comprehensive presentation on the Access to Finance Plan’s progress. Sub-committees on SME, agriculture, and housing finance provided updates, and ongoing initiatives to streamline legal and financial data matters were discussed. The committee also reviewed a proposed framework for wholesale financing, emphasizing the need for appropriate controls and stakeholder feedback before finalization.

The committee examined dashboards and progress indicators for SME, agriculture, and housing finance, highlighting the importance of regularly updated dashboards for effective monitoring. The meeting also focused on agriculture finance, discussing efforts to enhance crop insurance coverage and expand financing outreach to farmers, as well as the need for stronger coordination with banks and stakeholders.

In housing finance, the committee noted progress under the Wazir-e-Azam Apna Ghar Program, reviewing measures to facilitate housing finance through digitization and improved mortgage mechanisms. Additionally, the committee reviewed the Pakistan Accelerated Vehicle Electrification (PAVE) Programme, noting the delivery of electric bikes and efforts to support the transition to electric vehicles in line with the NEV Policy 2030.

The Finance Minister emphasized the importance of continued coordination among key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Finance, State Bank of Pakistan, SECP, and Pakistan Banks’ Association, to advance the Access to Finance Plan’s initiatives. The meeting was attended by high-level officials from relevant departments and organizations.