ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed provincial chief secretaries to conduct a comprehensive survey of properties that could be used to facilitate housing loans under the Prime Minister’s Apna Ghar Scheme.
The directive was issued during a meeting on Wednesday to review the government’s Access to Finance Plan 2026-28. The prime minister said providing affordable housing to low-income and middle-class families remained one of the government’s key priorities.
The initiative is aimed at making housing finance more accessible to people who want to construct homes, particularly those who may face difficulties meeting conventional mortgage requirements.
Apna Ghar Scheme Receives Over 147,000 Applications
Officials briefed the meeting that the Apna Ghar Scheme had received 147,504 applications so far.
Of these, 53,127 applications have been approved, with the total value of approved applications reaching approximately Rs313.42 billion.
So far, housing loans worth Rs45.43 billion have been disbursed to 8,739 applicants, according to the briefing.
To further expand access to financing, authorities are developing a system to identify plots across Pakistan that meet mortgage requirements. Islamabad has been selected as the pilot city for the initiative.
The government also plans to involve established housing developers in the scheme through an organised mechanism, with the aim of streamlining the process and making housing finance more accessible.
Banks Asked to Increase Lending
Prime Minister Shehbaz also called on banks and financial institutions to play a greater role in providing financing to key sectors, particularly agriculture, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and housing.
“The government would encourage banks that play an active role in providing loans,” he said.
The prime minister described agriculture as the backbone of Pakistan’s economy and said ensuring farmers have easy and uninterrupted access to financial resources was a national responsibility.
Under the Access to Finance Plan, the government is seeking to significantly expand bank lending to productive sectors by June 2028.
PM Launches Rs3.2 Trillion Housing Loan Scheme to Promote Affordable Homes
Agriculture Lending Reaches Rs1.268 Trillion
The meeting was informed that bank lending to the agriculture sector had reached Rs1.268 trillion in August 2026.
Under the Access to Finance Plan 2026-28, the government has set a target of increasing agriculture financing to Rs2 trillion by June 2028.
The meeting also reviewed progress under the Zarkhez-e app, which is designed to provide farmers with easier access to financing.
A total of 35,838 applications have been received through the platform. Of these, financing worth Rs7.35 billion has been approved, while Rs1.96 billion has already been disbursed.
The prime minister directed the relevant authorities to ensure that farmers can access financial resources without unnecessary delays or interruptions.
SME Financing Also Targeted for Expansion
The government is also seeking to double bank financing for Pakistan’s SME sector.
Officials told the meeting that lending to SMEs stood at approximately Rs1.067 trillion in August 2026, with a target of increasing the figure to Rs2 trillion by June 2028.
Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) has also been working to improve financial awareness among businesses. The meeting was informed that SMEDA provided financial literacy training to 1,096 SMEs during the previous three months.
Expanding access to finance for SMEs is considered important because smaller businesses often face difficulties securing conventional bank loans, limiting their ability to invest, expand operations and create employment.
Government Seeks Wider Access to Finance
The review meeting brought together senior federal and provincial officials, State Bank of Pakistan representatives, banking sector executives and international development officials.
The government’s Access to Finance Plan 2026-28 seeks to increase lending to sectors that can contribute to economic activity while improving access to formal financial services.
For the housing sector, the proposed property survey and mortgage-eligible plot identification system could help address one of the major challenges faced by potential borrowers: finding property that meets banks’ lending and security requirements.
The success of the Apna Ghar Scheme will ultimately depend on how effectively the government, banks, provincial authorities and housing developers coordinate to convert approved applications into actual loan disbursements and home construction.
With more than 147,000 applications already submitted, the latest directives indicate that the government is seeking to expand the scheme while simultaneously improving access to financing for farmers and small businesses.
