Federal Tax Ombudsman Coordinator Saif-ur-Rehman welcomes the centralised financing platform, saying it will improve transparency and accelerate SME loan disbursements.

LAHORE, November 8, 2026: Coordinator to the Federal Tax Ombudsman Saif-ur-Rehman has welcomed the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) decision to establish a centralised digital portal to simplify access to bank financing for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

He said the initiative would address longstanding difficulties faced by small business owners in securing bank loans and could facilitate the disbursement of trillions of rupees in financing.

Speaking to a delegation of small and medium-sized traders on Sunday, Saif-ur-Rehman said that, for the first time, all SME financing applications would be submitted exclusively through the centralised portal.

The platform would allow applicants to directly track the progress of their loan applications and obtain information about the reasons for rejection, improving transparency and accountability in the financing process.

He added that banks had been clearly instructed to process SME loan applications promptly and strictly on merit. However, the final authority to approve or reject financing applications would remain with the respective banks.

Saif-ur-Rehman noted that small and medium-sized enterprises had previously faced considerable difficulties in obtaining bank financing to modernise, upgrade and expand their business operations.

He expressed confidence that the digital initiative would make the financing process more accessible, transparent and efficient, helping businesses overcome financial constraints and contribute to economic growth.