The Finance Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Aurangzeb, has announced the establishment of a dedicated SME Finance Task Force to expand access to finance for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Speaking at Pakistan Banking Summit 2026 in Karachi, he called for an industry-wide effort to increase private sector lending and outlined the Government’s broader agenda for banking sector reforms and sustainable economic growth.
The finance minister said the SME Finance Task Force would be led by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and include senior representatives from the Pakistan Banks’ Association (PBA), the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), chambers of commerce and industry, and the Ministry of Finance.
He said the task force would develop recommendations to improve SME financing and expand access to credit across the banking sector.
Emphasizing the banking sector’s role in driving economic growth, the finance minister said increased lending to SMEs, exporters, agriculture, manufacturing, construction, housing, and the information technology sector is mission-critical for achieving sustainable economic growth.
He said improving access to finance for SMEs should be a shared responsibility across the banking industry rather than being left to a limited number of institutions.
The finance minister also said Pakistan had ended the previous fiscal year on what he described as a stronger economic footing, citing a primary budget surplus, a lower fiscal deficit, improved debt indicators, continued current account stability, record remittance inflows, rising foreign exchange reserves and renewed access to international capital markets.
He said the government remained committed to translating macroeconomic stability into sustainable, export-led growth through structural reforms and policy consistency. He further reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to introducing a Medium-Term Tax Strategy to provide greater certainty and predictability for businesses.