A significant gap has emerged in a key government financial initiative, with women entrepreneurs securing only 11 percent of the benefits from the Prime Minister’s Youth Business and Agriculture Loan Scheme last year, despite a dedicated 25 percent quota, a top official revealed.

Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP), expressed serious concern over the low female participation while addressing the Women Entrepreneurship Conference – WECON Masawaat 2025, held at the Pak-China Centre.

The conference, a joint effort by the British Council and Change Mechanics, convened a diverse group of women entrepreneurs, policymakers, and advocates for women’s economic inclusion from across Pakistan.

In his keynote speech, the PMYP Chairman praised the event’s theme of Masawaat (Equity), describing it as a core Islamic principle and a cornerstone for national progress. He underscored Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision for empowering the nation’s youth, who constitute nearly 70 percent of the population.

Khan detailed the PMYP’s comprehensive ‘4Es’ framework-encompassing Education, Employment, Engagement, and Environment. This strategy facilitates a range of nationwide opportunities, including scholarships, laptops, business financing, internships, and innovation awards.

To illustrate the impact of equitable opportunities, he shared inspiring stories of individuals who achieved remarkable success against the odds. These included a student from Hafizabad who broke a 120-year-old academic record while working at a tandoor, and a young woman from Yazman who attained academic excellence despite severe economic hardship.

The Chairman also pointed to other governmental measures aimed at female empowerment, such as efforts in Punjab to protect women’s property rights and the enforcement of a 33 percent quota for women in public-sector employment.

However, when reviewing the youth loan scheme, he noted the troubling statistics on women’s access to financing. The situation was particularly acute in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where female uptake remained below a meager 3 percent.

In response to these findings, Khan confirmed that all participating banks, microfinance institutions, and partner organizations have been instructed to intensify their outreach efforts and guarantee equitable access to financial services for women entrepreneurs.

He concluded by thanking the partners and participants for their support, reaffirming the government’s commitment to cultivating an inclusive and merit-based environment that broadens opportunities for all young people in Pakistan.