Farmers asked to avail of loans to promote SMEs

CHITRAL: An official of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) here called upon the people of Chitral to avail of loans being provided by different banks to promote small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the valley.

Kamran Khan, the deputy chief manager of SBP Peshawar, was addressing a gathering of people at the town hall during his visit to Chitral on Monday.

He said that a number of banks were providing loans under the guidelines set by the SBP to promote small and medium enterprises in the country. He said the farmers of Chitral can also avail of the facility not only to develop the SMEs but also explore avenues in sectors such as tourism, hydro power and mining.

This will also create job opportunities for thousands of youth in the backward valley, the official added. He also asked the interested farmers to get information from the banks concerned about the procedure to get the loans.

National Bank of Pakistan (NBP)\’s area manager Zahirullah and Chitral Chamber of Commerce and Industry president and former tehsil nazim Sartaj Ahmed Khan also spoke on the occasion. –S. Nazir Hussain Shah