State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Chief Manager Ansar Iftikhar Butt said on Wednesday that the Bank would work closely with Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) to promote SME development, enhance women’s financial inclusion, create awareness about Islamic banking and address forex related issues.
He added that SMEs are the backbone of economy and the central bank is working to increase SME financing and improve financial inclusion through seminars, training programmes and SME Baithak at the grassroots level.
He was talking to business community here at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. LCCI President Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol, Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmed Sheikh, former president Mian Anjum Nisar, Executive Committee members, SBP Deputy Chief Manager Fahad Ali, Currency Officer Sarfraz A. Nadeem, Deputy Chief Bilal Shafqat and Senior Officer Hassaan Zafar were also present.
Ansar Iftikhar Butt said that State Bank and commercial banks would continue to support the promotion of industry and trade. He added that the State Bank is paying special attention to women entrepreneurs and has introduced various schemes to enhance their financial inclusion. He said awareness sessions and other initiatives are being undertaken to promote Islamic banking, while joint seminars with LCCI would also be organized to address foreign exchange-related issues.
He said, maintaining direct contact with business community and understanding their issues remained one of the State Bank’s priorities. He appreciated LCCI’s initiative of onboarding its members on the Raast platform and described the modern fee payment mechanism as a commendable step. He also praised the successful organization of the SME Finance and Banking Expo in collaboration with LCCI.
Ansar Iftikhar Butt assured the business community that the State Bank would continue to provide every possible support in resolving issues faced by businesses and would work closely with LCCI for sustainable economic and commercial growth.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, LCCI President Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol congratulated Ansar Iftikhar Butt on assuming charge as Chief Manager and expressed confidence that his leadership would further strengthen cooperation between the State Bank and the business community. He also paid tribute to former Chief Manager Tariq Riaz and his team for maintaining excellent coordination with LCCI.
He mentioned that State Bank and LCCI have jointly undertaken several important initiatives over the years. He termed the introduction of the Raast and QR code-based system for payment of LCCI membership fees as a major milestone. He said that the SME Finance and Banking Expo, jointly organized by the State Bank and LCCI in January 2026, proved to be a great success by connecting SMEs with financial institutions and creating awareness about financing opportunities.
He appreciated the support extended by the State Bank Lahore team in resolving banking and financial issues faced by the business community. He said that both institutions would continue to work together for the development of SMEs, promotion of digital payments, provision of business-friendly banking services and strengthening the documentation of the economy.