Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday underscored that providing easy financial facilities to various sectors is essential for sustainable economic development. He emphasized that banks should significantly increase the provision of loans to priority sectors, especially the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector, which is the backbone of the country's economy.
High-Level Meeting on Access to Finance
The prime minister chaired a high-level meeting on promoting access to finance in Pakistan and was briefed on the Access to Finance Plan, according to a Prime Minister's Office news release. Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister said the availability of easy-to-access financial facilities would enable increased exports, new employment opportunities and sustainable economic growth.
He also announced that banks that perform better in extending financial facilities would be encouraged. "I will personally chair the monthly review meeting regarding the progress on the Access to Finance Plan. The government wants to make the economy stronger and more export-oriented by increasing access to financial facilities," Prime Minister Shehbaz said.
Meeting with UN Secretary-General Candidate Macky Sall
In a separate meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan's steadfast commitment to multilateralism and reiterated its strong and unwavering support for the central role of the United Nations in global affairs. The prime minister met with Macky Sall, candidate for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations, who called on him here. Shehbaz expressed the hope that the incoming UN leadership would continue to advance the three pillars of the United Nations—peace and security, development, and human rights—in a balanced and effective manner.
Meeting with Candidate Rebeca Grynspan
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday also emphasized the importance of ensuring balanced progress across the United Nations' three core pillars: peace and security, development, and human rights. During a meeting with Rebeca Grynspan, another candidate for the position of United Nations Secretary-General, at the Prime Minister's House, he stressed the need to establish effective mechanisms for the faithful implementation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and to uphold international law and treaties in order to promote global peace, security, and prosperity.
