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The government has disbursed Rs14 billion in loans to over 193,000 women under its Women Inclusive Finance Programme, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced during the budget debate.
Supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the initiative promotes women’s economic empowerment by offering accessible loans tailored for female entrepreneurs and low-income women across Pakistan. A similar funding allocation is planned for next year, reinforcing the government’s long-term commitment to women’s financial inclusion.
The Rs14 billion women’s loan facility with ADB was highlighted as one of the government’s key social empowerment efforts during the minister’s closing speech on the Finance Bill 2024-25. Aurangzeb said the program aims to help women gain financial independence and contribute to household and community-level economic stability.
He added that inclusive economic growth cannot be achieved without the active participation of women in the financial system. The programme ensures that female borrowers, particularly from underserved areas, have access to formal financial tools and training.
This loan initiative is part of a broader social development strategy, which also includes increased spending on health, education, and social welfare, such as the record rise in the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) allocation from Rs592 billion to Rs716 billion, as well as the rollout of 2025 installments.
The minister also underscored the government’s focus on skills development, citing the launch of Pakistan’s first Skills Impact Bond in partnership with the British Asian Trust to provide results-based training.
The Rs14 billion women loan facility with ADB is a strategic milestone in Pakistan’s efforts to create an inclusive financial ecosystem and empower marginalized communities.
