HABIB BANK LIMITED PAKISTAN

 

HBL was the first commercial bank to be established in Pakistan in 1947. Over the years, HBL has grown its branch network and maintained its position as the largest private sector bank with over 1,700 branches and 2,000 ATMs globally and a customer base exceeding ten million relationships.

The Government of Pakistan privatized HBL in 2004 through which AKFED acquired 51% of the Bank's shareholding and the management control. The remaining 41.5% shareholding by the Government of Pakistan was divested in April 2015. AKFED continues to retain 51% shareholding in HBL while the remaining shareholding is held by individuals, local and foreign institutions and funds including CDC Group Plc which holds 5% and International Finance Corporation which holds 3%.

With a global presence in over 25 countries spanning across four continents,  HBL is also the largest domestic multinational​. The Bank is expanding its presence in principal international markets including the UK, UAE, South and Central Asia, Africa and the Far East.

The key areas of operations encompass product offerings and services in Retail and Consumer Banking. HBL also has the largest Corporate Banking portfolio in the country with an active Investment Banking arm. SME and Agriculture lending programs and banking services are offered in urban and rural centers. 

Originally established in 1941, HBL moved its operations to Pakistan in 1947 at the request of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, hence becoming the first commercial bank to lay its foundation in the country. Embarking on a progressive journey, HBL continued to grow and expand in the successive years. The Bank's first international branch opened in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1951, while the construction of the iconic Habib Bank Plaza was completed in 1972, the year that also marked the commemoration of HBL's 25^th anniversary.

With a sizeable domestic share HBL was nationalized in 1974. The Bank became a trend setter in the banking industry, acquiring lion's share in inward foreign remittances and a major market share in loans to small industries, traders and farmers. International operations expanded and HBL now operates in over 25 countries across four continents.

In December 2003, Pakistan's Privatization Commission announced that the Government had formally transferred 51% of HBL's shareholding to the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) against an investment of PKR 22.409 billion (USD 389 million). In February 2004, management control of the bank was handed over to AKFED. By April 2015, the Government of Pakistan divested its entire shareholding of 41.5% through the Privatization Commission of Pakistan, thereby officially making HBL Pakistan's largest private bank.​

Ratings & Rankings

HBL Rating

Country Rating (Pakistan

HBL has a balance sheet size of USD 24 billion (FY’16).

Memberships of Industry Associations and Trade Bodies

• Pakistan Banks Association.

• Pakistan Business Council.

• Institute of Bankers Pakistan.

• Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance.

• Karachi Center for Dispute Resolutio