The 10th annual assembly of Pakistan Microfinance Forum was held on 4th October 2016 at Marriott Hotel in Karachi. The forum featured eminent Micro financiers, development experts and operational chiefs who discussed various future strategies for the sector.

This year’s theme was "Transform lives: Innovate for the Poor". The aim of the forum was to generate innovative ideas that can help the underprivileged with developing businesses and increase entrepreneurship in Pakistan. A key focus of the event was how to increase financial inclusion and come up with solutions that can help in creating necessary changes in Pakistan’s economic environment to empower people from all across society.

The annual conference looked at the benefits and downsides of the current policy and regulatory framework that aims to boost the output of borrowers’ businesses to ensure sustainability. It also examined the performance of this sector by understanding the endeavors of the key players, with respect to national goals. The conference stressed the importance  of discussing and learning how this sector can fulfill the aspirations of the investors, regulators, stakeholders and consumers at large. Experts evaluated and recommended appropriate solutions and technological interventions to meet future challenges.

Speaking at the occasion, Ghalib Nishtar, President Khushhali Microfinance Bank said, “In the recent past, global trends and national development processes have transformed the role played by MSME’s in the economy globally. Developing countries like Pakistan need to work towards financial inclusion and investing in MSME’s is one of the best ways to do so. All across the globe, MSME’s are improving economy, creating jobs and improving lifestyles.”

“Given that MSME’s account for 98% of Pakistan’s economic establishments, Pakistani banks have a huge social responsibility to serve and support them”, he said. “At Khushhali Mirofionance Bank, our aim is to empower those living under the poverty line to develop businesses and help them lead their families to prosperity. In the past few months, we have expanded our network to 138 branches covering all of Pakistan, enabling ourselves to cater to the financial needs of over five million active borrowers”.

The participants at this year’s conference received insights on how the Microfinance sector can better forecast market dynamics, maintain sustainability, and fully exploit the available resources to facilitate growth at the grass roots level. It was a great opportunity to discuss and generate opportunities for small-scale businesses and human resources by recognizing training needs and optimum utilization of skill sets. This year's conference was sponsored by leading Microfinance enterprises including; Khushhali Microfinance Bank and other banks.