Overview
- Officials reported a 36% year-on-year rise in outstanding SME credit to Rs882 billion by December 31, 2025, with the number of SMEs served up 65% to about 303,000.
- The NCC proposed revised turnover thresholds setting micro at up to Rs30 million, small at Rs30 million to Rs400 million, and medium at Rs400 million to Rs2 billion.
- Federal and provincial governments signaled coordinated adoption of the updated SME definition and directed regular progress reporting.
- All banks indicated readiness to extend SME lending nationwide, including underserved regions such as Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Balochistan.
- Complementary measures highlighted included tax relief, easier loan access, Skill Development Bonds and AI training, alongside Rs221 billion disbursed under the youth loan scheme and Rs60 billion in clean SAAF lending to 12,500 SMEs.