Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has increased the individual loan limit for the Prime Minister’s Youth Business and Agriculture Loan Schemes from Rs7.5 million to Rs25m. The loans will be provided in easy instalments, according to a briefing at a meeting chaired by the prime minister to review the implementation and disbursement of the two schemes.
During the meeting, the prime minister directed that 30 per cent of the loans be reserved for women to help them achieve economic independence and encourage their participation in business activities. He also instructed that the minimum age for applicants be reduced from 21 to 18 years to allow young people to begin agricultural activities and start businesses at an earlier age.
The prime minister praised Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and his team for establishing effective arrangements to provide financial support to youth. He further directed the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) to provide technical support, business consultancy, and guidance on starting businesses to those under the schemes. Additionally, the prime minister instructed authorities to launch a countrywide awareness campaign to inform the public about these government initiatives and opportunities.
According to the briefing, 581,341 young people have received loans since January 2023, a figure 10 times higher than the number of beneficiaries over the preceding 10 years. During this period, loans worth Rs313.9b were disbursed. For the 2026-27 financial year, the meeting was told that an estimated 266,700 young people are expected to receive loans worth Rs292b.
The prime minister stated that young people are a valuable asset for Pakistan and that the government is committed to harnessing their potential and providing productive employment opportunities. The meeting was attended by the finance minister, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Talha Barqi.
