Credit access pledged to exporters

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told a Pakistan Textile Exporters Association delegation that the government intends to widen business financing, especially for small and medium enterprises, to support their participation in export supply chains. The Express Tribune reported that the meeting also addressed energy costs, export competitiveness and the business climate. Aurangzeb urged businesses to adopt technology, improve productivity and add value as international trade conditions change.

The minister reiterated that export-led growth and cooperation between government and industry were priorities for improving industrial competitiveness and modernisation. In a separate meeting with Mastercard representatives, he discussed digital payments, wider financial inclusion and cybersecurity, saying digital services could benefit agriculture, SMEs and underserved groups. Mastercard expressed interest in working on payment acceptance, remittances, financial inclusion and cybersecurity.