Pakistan, ADB sign $350M deal to boost women’s financial inclusion

The Government of Pakistan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a landmark $350 million loan agreement for the Women Inclusive Finance Sector Development Program (Subprogram-II), aimed at advancing women’s economic empowerment across the country.

The agreement was signed by Ms. Sabina Qureshi, Additional Secretary at the Economic Affairs Division, and Mr. Dinesh Raj Shiwakoti, Head of ADB’s Project Administration Unit.

The Project Agreement for the Financial Intermediary Loan (FIL) was signed separately by the State Bank of Pakistan.

Senior officials from both the Government of Pakistan and ADB attended the signing ceremony, which reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to expanding access to finance for women, supporting entrepreneurship, and creating equitable job opportunities.

Subprogram-II builds on the policy reforms of Subprogram-I and focuses on four key areas:

• Enabling policy and regulatory frameworks for women’s financial inclusion
• Increasing financial resources available to women
• Strengthening women’s entrepreneurial capabilities
• Promoting inclusive, equitable workplaces in the financial sector

The $350 million financing package—comprising a $300 million policy-based loan and a $50 million Financial Intermediary Loan—represents a significant step toward Pakistan’s goals of inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development.