Overview
- Minister Bilal Azhar Kayani chaired a Finance Division consultative meeting that directed banks to name focal persons for the Export Finance Scheme, publish clear eligibility rules, and set timelines for processing applications.
- Stakeholders were instructed to consult chambers of commerce and exporters, document specific regulatory and tax bottlenecks, and establish a monitoring mechanism with assigned responsibilities and deadlines.
- The government asked agencies to review options to expand export credit insurance and risk-sharing for smaller firms and to strengthen the Export Facilitation Scheme so more SMEs can access loans and guarantees.
- Exporters told officials that high shipping and freight costs, limited freight availability, lack of modern machinery, and rising certification costs—including new green standards—are blocking entry into overseas markets.
- Implementation remains at the assessment stage with institutional reviews and timelines pending, and successful follow-through could reduce financing delays, lower compliance costs, and help small exporters scale into new markets.