islamabad
Pakistan Microfinance Investment Company Limited (PMIC), in partnership with Pak-Kuwait Investment Company (PKIC), has announced the successful launch of a PKR 3 billion Syndicated Term Finance Facility for ASA Microfinance Bank (Pakistan) Limited (ASA MFB). This innovative, privately placed facility is a milestone in gender-lens investing and inclusive finance in Pakistan.
The facility amounts to PKR 3 billion, and will be earmarked exclusively for providing loans to ASA MFB’s women micro entrepreneurs. This transaction is a game changer where PMIC, a microfinance expert and apex, partnered with Pak-Kuwait Investment Company (Private) Limited, Pak Libya Holding Company (Private) Limited, Pak Brunei Investment Company Limited, and Allied Bank Limited to improve funding for women-led enterprises. It also complements the current initiatives undertaken by DFIs to direct their resources towards the development of the country.
This funding directly supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by channeling capital toward underserved women entrepreneurs, fostering inclusive economic participation, and creating dignified livelihood opportunities in rural and low-income communities.
This landmark transaction will finance over 50,000 women-led microenterprises, with 60% of the funding directed to rural and underserved areas. Approximately 35% of the loans will empower young women. Altogether, the facility is expected to support more than 70,000 jobs across microenterprise networks, directly contributing to Pakistan’s efforts in expanding economic opportunity and fostering inclusive growth.
“In 2025, Pakistan ranked 148th out of 148 countries on the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index. This is not just a capital injection—it’s a deliberate, strategic push to redesign how gender-inclusive finance is structured and scaled in Pakistan,” said Yasir Ashfaq, CEO of PMIC. “We are proud to be an anchor in this transaction in advancing responsible and impact-driven finance for women’s empowerment and inclusive development and would like to thank ASA, Pak-Kuwait Investment Company (Private) Limited, Pak Libya Holding Company (Private) Limited, Pak Brunei Investment Company Limited, and Allied Bank Limited for trusting PMIC. Initiatives like PMIC’s syndicated facility represent a critical national response moving beyond rhetoric to tangible investment in women’s agency, entrepreneurship, and inclusion.”
With its strong grassroots presence, ASA MFB is well-positioned to deploy the proceeds to expand outreach to women entrepreneurs, many of whom operate in deeply underserved regions and sectors. This facility is a blueprint for future capital syndicates that blend financial discipline with social equity. PMIC invites development partners, investors, and policymakers to build on this momentum and expand gender-focused finance across Pakistan.
