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Meezan Bank has signed agreements with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization’s Investment and Technology Promotion Office in Bahrain (UNIDO-ITPO Bahrain) and the International Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ICEI). The partnerships aim to support startups, women- and youth-led businesses, and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across Pakistan.
Under the initiative, Meezan Bank will establish a dedicated in-house Focus Group. It will provide non-financial support using the Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion (EDIP) methodology developed by UNIDO-ITPO Bahrain.
The programme aims to help businesses strengthen their operations, attract investment and prepare for sustainable growth.
The exchanges of letters were signed by Dr. Syed Amir Ali, President and CEO of Meezan Bank; Dr. Hashim Hussein, Head of UNIDO-ITPO Bahrain; and H.E. Sheikh Ebrahim Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) and the ICEI.
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The new Focus Group will provide structured advisory services to entrepreneurs and growing businesses. Its goal is to improve their competitiveness and investment readiness.
Planned services include:
Enterprise development and business advisory.
Training and capacity-building programmes for startups and MSMEs.
Investment-readiness support and investor matchmaking.
Mentoring and coaching.
Technology and innovation partnerships.
Market access and export promotion.
Business incubation and acceleration opportunities.
Referrals to relevant financial products and services offered by Meezan Bank.
The initiative combines business development support with access to Islamic banking services. This approach aims to address challenges that extend beyond financing alone.
UNIDO-ITPO Bahrain will help design, establish and operate the Focus Group. Its role will include providing technical expertise, training and international connections.
The organisation plans to support the initiative through several measures:
Advising on the Focus Group’s structure and operational framework.
Transferring EDIP tools, methodologies and best practices.
Training designated bank staff and business advisers.
Supporting enterprise development, investment promotion and incubation.
Connecting the initiative with national and international partners, experts and institutions.
The collaboration will also promote entrepreneurship in emerging sectors. These include clean energy, the marine economy, creative industries and services for senior citizens.
Dr. Syed Amir Ali said startups, MSMEs, and women and youth entrepreneurs were central to Pakistan’s economic future. However, he noted that access to finance alone was not enough to help businesses succeed.
“MSMEs, startups, and women and youth entrepreneurs are central to Pakistan’s economic future. Yet, access to finance alone is not enough. Many promising businesses also need guidance, skills and the right connections to grow,” he said.
Ali added that the partnership would bring an international methodology into the bank’s business support efforts. The aim is to help entrepreneurs strengthen their operations, reach new markets and become investment-ready.
Dr. Hashim Hussein described the initiative as an innovative way to combine financial and non-financial services for entrepreneurs.
“Meezan Bank’s initiative is an innovative approach to strengthening entrepreneurship, bringing financial and non-financial services together under one roof,” he said.
Hussein added that UNIDO-ITPO Bahrain would share its EDIP methodology, tools and international network. The organisation hopes the Focus Group will become a sustainable platform for entrepreneurs and a potential regional model for entrepreneurship support within the banking sector.
H.E. Sheikh Ebrahim Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said the initiative builds on the broader vision of developing Islamic banking and supporting enterprise growth.
“As the Founding Chairman of Meezan Bank, our ambition was to demonstrate that Islamic banking could succeed at scale in Pakistan. Today, we have an opportunity to take that vision further—from building a successful Islamic bank to helping build successful enterprises,” he said.
He added that the collaboration aims to help entrepreneurs turn promising ideas into sustainable businesses. This, he said, could contribute to job creation and wider economic opportunities.
Al Khalifa also expressed hope that the initiative would provide a model for Islamic financial institutions in Pakistan and other markets.
The partnership represents a move towards a broader support system for Pakistani entrepreneurs. By combining business advisory services, investment promotion and Islamic banking referrals, the participating organisations aim to help startups and MSMEs pursue long-term growth.
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