Banks in Pakistan

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Overview

Pakistan Banking Sector comprises Commercial Banks, Foreign Banks, Islamic Banks, Development Financial Institutions and Microfinance Banks. The Industry constitutes around 31 banks, of which five are public sector banks, 22 are private banks, and 4 are foreign banks.

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Banks in Pakistan

State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is the Central Bank of Pakistan. It is responsible for regulating the monetary and credit system of the country and is instrumental in securing monetary stability and reasonable utilization of the country's productive resources. As of 2020, total assets in the Banking Sector stood at $ 159.50 billion. It functions through its three fully owned subsidiaries, namely:

Structure of Banks in Pakistan

Banks in Pakistan are categorized as below:

  • SBP-Banking Services Corporation - It supports the regulator in performing functions related to currency management, credit management, interbank settlement system, public debt management, foreign exchange, export refinancing, etc.
  • National Institute of Banking and Finance - It is the training arm of the regulator (SBP) responsible for imparting training and capability building of employees of SBP and conducting various courses for Financial Institutions to keep abreast with the latest in the Banking Domain..
  • Deposit Protection Corporation - It is responsible for ensuring protection to the depositors of member's Financial Institutions regulated by SBP. It defines the quantum of deposits to be paid in the unlikely event of failure of any member financial institute regulated by SBP.

List of Top 6 Banks in Pakistan

  1. Habib Bank Limited (HBL)
  2. National Bank of Pakistan
  3. Meezan Bank
  4. Bank Alfalah
  5. MCB Bank
  6. United Bank Limited

Let’s see each one of them in detail:

#1. Habib Bank Limited (HBL):

In 1941, Habib Bank Limited was the largest Bank by assets in Pakistan. It operates through its wide network of 1751 branches and 2007 ATMs and provides services in the areas of Branch Banking, Corporate Banking, Retail Financing, SME, and Investment Banking services. It is headquartered in the capital of Pakistan, i.e., Karachi. The Bank has branches in various countries, including Europe, Australia, the Middle East, America, Asia, and Africa. The shares of the Bank are listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange.

#2. National Bank of Pakistan:

Founded in 1949 and is the largest state-owned bank operating in Pakistan. It has an extensive branch network of over 1509 branches in Pakistan, a global presence in 11 countries, and representative offices in China and Canada. The Bank acts as a trustee of public funds and agents to the SBP. It is headquartered in Karachi. It provides commercial and public sector banking services and is a leading player in the debt-equity market, investment banking, agriculture financing, retail financing, and treasury services. The Bank is majorly owned by the State Bank of Pakistan, which holds 75.20 percent voting rights as per the shareholding pattern as of Dec 2017 and

#3. Meezan Bank:

Meezan Bank is Pakistan’s first and largest Islamic Bank which commenced its operations in 2002 after being issued the first-ever Islamic Commercial Banking license by the State Bank of Pakistan. It operates under the principle of Islamic Shariah and is recognized for its product development capability, Islamic Banking research, and advisory services. It provides a wide range of Islamic banking products and services through its wide retail branch network of more than 815 branches across Pakistan. The Bank has been conferred with major recognition from various local and international institutions as the Best Islamic Banks in Pakistan. As of Dec 2017, the Bank has a healthy Capital Adequacy ratio of 12.89 percent. It is headquartered in Meezan House, Karachi, Pakistan.

#4. Bank Alfalah:

Bank Alfalah is the fifth largest private Bank of Pakistan and commenced banking operation from 1st November 1997. It operates with more than 719 branches across Pakistan and has an international presence in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, and a representative office in UAE. The Bank is owned and operated by the Abu Dhabi Group. It provides financial solutions to retail consumers, corporations, institutions, and governments through its wide array of products and services. Strengthened with the banking of the Abu Dhabi group and driven by the strategic goals set out by its board of management, the Bank has invested in revolutionary technology to offer an extensive range of products and services. The Bank is headquartered in Karachi, Pakistan.

#5. MCB Bank:

MCB Bank Limited is one of the oldest and top banks in Pakistan. Founded in 1947 and was nationalized in 1974 as part of the Government of Pakistan’s economic reform movement and was later privatized in 1991. The Bank has been conferred with the prestigious Euromoney Award for Best Investment Banks in Pakistan for two years (2016 and 2017). It provides commercial banking and related products and services in Pakistan, South Asia, the Middle East, and Eurasia. The Bank has a customer base of approximately 4 million and total assets of around PKR 1.91 trillion in 2021 and operates through a wide branch network of more than 1400 branches. The Bank is headquartered in Lahore, Pakistan.

#6. United Bank Limited:

Founded in 1959, United Bank is one of the oldest and largest commercial banks in the private sector in Pakistan. It operates through a wide network of more than 1390 branches across Pakistan and has an overseas presence in more than 19 countries. The Bank is engaged in commercial banking and related services headquartered in Karachi, Pakistan. The Bank boasts of a strong financial profile and consistent profitability record and specializes in Retail Banking, Corporate Banking, Investment Banking, Treasury Services, etc. The Bank’s shares are listed on all three stock exchanges of Pakistan, and its Global depository receipts (GDR) are listed on London Stock Exchange. The Bank employs more than 10000 people and is committed to providing the best banking experience to its clients.