ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan will receive Bahrain’s highest civil award, the King Hamad Order of the Renaissance, during an upcoming visit to the Kingdom, a senior aide said on Thursday.
“Prime Minister is going on an official visit to Bahrain in the mid of December where he will be conferred Bahrain’s highest civilian award,” Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Overseas Pakistanis, Sayed Zulifkar Bukhari, told Arab News, adding that Khan would receive the award at a special ceremony to be held during his visit.
On August 25, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also conferred the King Hamad Order of the Renaissance by Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa during a visit to the Kingdom.
The Pakistani premier is expected to leave on a three-country tour on December 15, starting with Bahrain, followed by Switzerland where he will address a global conference on refugees in Geneva, and finally Malaysia.
During this visit to Bahrain, Khan will meet his counterpart Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. He will also participate in Bahrain’s national day celebrations.
Earlier this year during a visit to Islamabad, the National Guard of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Lt. General Sheikh Mohammed bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, extended an invitation to Khan to visit Bahrain on behalf of the prime minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Bahrain to confer highest civilian award on Pakistani PM Khan
Bahrain to confer highest civilian award on Pakistani PM Khan
- Award to be given at a special ceremony during Khan’s upcoming visit to Bahrain
- PM expected to leave for a trip to Bahrain, Switzerland and Malaysia starting December 15
Pakistan disburses record $9.2 billion agricultural loans in FY25, central bank says
- State Bank says farm lending rose 16 percent year-on-year to Rs2.58 trillion
- Inflation eased to 5.8 percent in January as GDP growth hits 3.7 percent in Q1 FY26
KARACHI: Pakistan disbursed a record Rs2.58 trillion ($9.2 billion) in agricultural loans during fiscal year 2024–25, a 16 percent increase from the previous year, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Jameel Ahmad said on Thursday while chairing a meeting of the Agricultural Credit Advisory Committee (ACAC).
Agricultural financing is considered critical to Pakistan’s rural economy, where farming contributes nearly one-fifth of GDP and employs a large share of the workforce. The government has repeatedly emphasized expanding credit access to small farmers as part of broader efforts to boost productivity, stabilize food supply and support economic recovery under an IMF-backed reform program.
According to official data shared at the meeting, agricultural credit disbursement reached Rs2.58 trillion in FY25, marking a record high. In the first half of FY26 alone, banks disbursed Rs1,412 billion in agricultural loans, while the number of borrowers increased to 2.97 million.
“During fiscal year 2025, record agricultural loans of Rs2.58 trillion were disbursed, reflecting an annual growth of 16 percent,” the State Bank governor said, according to a statement issued after the meeting.
He added that Pakistan had regained macroeconomic stability and that the economy was moving toward sustainable growth.
The governor said GDP growth in the first quarter of FY26 stood at 3.7 percent, while full-year growth was projected between 3.75 percent and 4.75 percent.
He also noted that headline inflation had declined to 5.8 percent in January 2026.
The committee reviewed measures to further expand credit access, including greater use of the central bank’s Zarkhez-e scheme to facilitate agricultural lending. Members also discussed promoting electronic warehouse receipt financing to enhance post-harvest liquidity and reduce distress sales of crops.
The statement said the purpose of electronic warehouse receipt financing was to “reduce forced sales of crops and strengthen linkages within the agricultural market.”
Agricultural lending has been a focus of Pakistan’s financial inclusion strategy, particularly as policymakers seek to improve rural incomes, stabilize food prices and strengthen export-oriented crop production amid broader economic reforms.
