KARACHI — At the second edition of the Pakistan Banking Summit 2026 (PBS’26), Saleem Ullah, Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), underscored the pivotal role of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and agricultural financing as core drivers of Pakistan’s sustainable economic development.
Addressing top financial sector leaders, regulators, and international delegates, Saleem Ullah outlined the central bank’s strategy to expand priority-sector lending through proactive regulatory policies, digital innovations, and multi-stakeholder partnerships.
Key Takeaways from the SBP Address
- Enabling Regulatory Frameworks: Modernizing central bank policies to incentivize commercial banks and microfinance institutions to extend affordable credit lines to small businesses and farming communities.
- Financial Innovation & Digital Solutions: Leveraging digital banking infrastructure, credit scoring technology, and fintech integration to streamline loan underwriting and reduce operational costs for priority sectors.
- Driving Sustainable & Inclusive Growth: Expanding financial access to unbanked rural populations and micro-enterprises to foster broad-based economic resilience.
Industry-Wide Representation
The summit featured active engagement from executives representing leading commercial banks, digital banks, microfinance providers, and development finance institutions:
Key Executive Leadership
Zafar Masud, Muhammad Nassir Salim, Yousaf Hussain, Basir Shamsie, Habib Yousuf, Muhammad Hamayun Sajjad, Dr. Syed Amir Ali, Saadya Riaz, Nasir Jamal, Atif Bajwa, Aizid Gill, Natasha Ahmed, Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary, Rehmat Hasnie, Saad ur Rahman Khan, Ahsan Mushahid, Muhammad Jawaid Iqbal, Tahir Bhatti, Mir Nejib Rahman, and Rehan Shaikh.
Participating Institutions
Allied Bank Limited, Bank AL Habib Limited, The Bank of Punjab, Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) Pakistan, First Women Bank, HBL, MCB Bank Limited, National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), The Punjab Provincial Cooperative Bank Limited, Citi, easypaisa digital bank, ABHI Microfinance Bank Ltd, Khushhali Microfinance Bank Limited, Pakistan Mortgage Refinance Company (PMRC), Pak China Investment Company Limited, and Standard Chartered.
Strategic Significance
Organized by the Pakistan Banks Association (PBA), PBS’26 served as a pivotal forum to bridge policy objectives with private sector execution. The discussions highlighted a shared commitment across Pakistan’s financial ecosystem to modernize credit delivery mechanisms, enhance market liquidity for high-impact sectors, and support long-term economic stability.
