Abrar Mir, Chief Innovation & Financial Inclusion Officer – HBL (standing 1st from left), Muhammad Aurangzeb, President & CEO – HBL (standing 2nd from left), Dr. Umar Saif, Caretaker Federal Minister for IT & Telecommunication (standing 3rd from left), Dr. Saleem Ullah, Deputy Governor – SBP (standing 3rd from right), Muhammad Zohaib, Chairman - P@SHA (standing 2nd from right) and Luqman Shaukat, Head of Products & Growth – HBL (standing 1st from right) attended the signing ceremony. Aamir Hameed, Head Branchless Banking – HBL (sitting 1st from left), and Nadeem Aslam Malik, Secretary General – P@SHA (sitting 1st from right) signed the agreement. Senior officials from both organizations were also present on the occasion.​

Pakistan, Karachi – 26 October 2023

Caretaker Federal Minister for IT & Telecommunication Dr. Umar Saif has said that no doubt about the potential in Pakistan’s IT sector, the industry is playing a significant role in the stability of the country’s economy, the government is taking vigorous steps to provide all possible facilities to the IT industry. There is a need to be Brand Pakistan and marketed globally in the desired manner. He said this while addressing the signing ceremony for the strategic partnership between HBL and the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) held at the HBL Tower in Karachi on Thursday

Dr. Umar Saif further said, “I am delighted to be part of the event and hope that this collaboration will play a vital role and fostering the growth and development of the IT sector domestically and internationally.” Mentioning the role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), the IT Minister said that all required facilities are being provided to boost the IT & Telecom sector.

Dr. Saif highlighted the SIFC’s recent decision that IT companies have now been allowed to retain 50% of their revenue in US dollar accounts. These companies will also be provided with corporate debit cards by the banks, which can be freely used to make international payments. This step has been taken on the recommendation of the IT industry (P@SHA) aimed to encourage the Information Technology (IT) and IT-enabled Services (ITeS) to boost export earnings and bring additional foreign exchange into the country.

It is worth mentioning here that HBL, Pakistan’s Best Bank, has entered a multi-year partnership with P@SHA, the country’s only IT industry association, to support them in launching a series of impactful engagements locally and globally. Through this collaboration, HBL aims to join forces with P@SHA in positioning Pakistan as a growing tech destination in the global market. The Bank’s extensive collaboration with IT and digital stakeholders has given it a deep understanding of the industry’s needs, enabling it to offer tailored financial and technological solutions.

Commenting on the initiative, Muhammad Aurangzeb, President & CEO – HBL, said, “We believe that the IT industry has the potential to be a major driver of economic growth and job creation in Pakistan. HBL’s collaboration with P@SHA is a testament to the Bank’s commitment to becoming a ‘Technology Company with a Banking License’. It will provide an opportunity for HBL to engage with key stakeholders in the IT, freelancer, software, and gaming industry and showcase its innovative financial solutions and services that can meet the specific needs of the IT sector.”

Speaking at the occasion, Muhammad Zohaib Khan, Chairman – P@SHA, said: “With HBL by our side, P@SHA is ready to embark on a transformative journey for Pakistan’s tech landscape. This strategic partnership will propel us toward realizing our vision of making Pakistan a hub for technology excellence. Together, we will open new doors of opportunity, innovation, and global recognition for our IT industry.”

• Pakistan’s women entrepreneurs are invited to apply for grants worth USD 50,000, a tailored training program and access to networking and mentoring opportunities. Applications are open until 2 December 2023.
• Visa shares findings from She’s Next Women SMB Digitization Index survey of Pakistani women entrepreneurs including:
• Women-owned businesses find funding a challenge, with 86% dipping into personal savings
• 99% of women entrepreneurs have plans to digitize their business
• 98% of women-led businesses are interested in payment related training
• 67% women entrepreneurs believe transition to a cashless business with digitization is a huge opportunity

Karachi, Pakistan, November 1, 2023:

Women-led businesses in Pakistan primarily face funding, digitization and advisory challenges according to Visa’s Women SMB Digitization Index survey. In order to address these challenges, Visa, a world leader in digital payments is launching its global She’s Next grant program in Pakistan for the first time in partnership with HBL, Pakistan’s largest private bank, which serves more than 36 million clients worldwide.

She’s Next, empowered by Visa, is a global advocacy program that aims to support women-owned small businesses through funding, training and mentorship. Starting today, women entrepreneurs from all industries and sectors in Pakistan can apply on the She’s Next website for a chance to be among five winners to receive a grant of US$ 10,000 each. Winners will also have access to a range of benefits including a tailored training program, She’s Next Club resources such as a workshop library and a community of entrepreneurs. Applications are open until 2 December 2023.

Umar S. Khan, Country Manager for Pakistan, Visa, commented: “We’re proud to bring our successful ‘She’s Next’ global program to Pakistan, in partnership with HBL. Women entrepreneurs form a small percentage of the SME sector in Pakistan, facing unique challenges such as limited access to capital, lack of mentorship and dealing with gender stereotyping concerns where they are considered less capable of handling high-pressure situations. Currently, a robust digital infrastructure is critical for them to scale their businesses. She’s Next, underscores this vital shift, recognizes the potential of women entrepreneurs, and supports them to thrive innovatively.”

Aamir Kureshi, Head Consumer, Agriculture & SME banking – HBL, said: “HBL is committed to increasing women participation in the economy by supporting financial inclusion. HBL and Visa have collaborated in She’s Next to develop women entrepreneurs. Through this partnership, we aim to provide women the skill set and training, so they have greater opportunities to improve their lives.” To better understand the desires and challenges of female entrepreneurs in Pakistan face, Visa ran the Women SMB Digitization Index survey which revealed key aspects of the entrepreneurial journey and identified themes that would drive empowerment:

Theme 1: A Challenging Business Environment

Women in Pakistan are passionate about entrepreneurship, citing financial independence (48%) and leadership (41%) as top motivations. Funding their business is a serious challenge with 86% of women dipping into their personal savings, while 63% respondents rely on friends and family.

Theme 2: Advice from fellow entrepreneurs

Women entrepreneurs in Pakistan are eager to learn from their peers, with many women entrepreneurs requiring specific assistance on overcoming problems (61%), developing online sales (54%), and building a team of employees (43%). Nearly all (98%) women are keen on payment related training. A section of women (33%) seek advice on the types of payments accepted from customers and are interested in workshops on managing stress in crisis (46%), using social media for promotion (40%), and creating an online store (32%).

Theme 3: Digitization

Seven in 10 women entrepreneurs claim to be digitally savvy, with 99% respondents planning to digitize their business focusing on digital marketing, business leadership, AI and automation, software implementation, and analytics tools to generate insights and tools for customer engagement and retention. Most women entrepreneurs (69%) use both cash and cashless modes of payment, with digital payments weighing over cash in online and offline selling platforms. Since 2020, Visa has invested around US$ 3 million in over 250 grants and coaching for women SMB owners through the She’s Next grant program globally including in US, Canada, India, Ireland, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Morocco.

About She’s Next Women SMB Digitization Index Research

She’s Next Women SMB Digitization Index, was a survey to dive into the women entrepreneurial journey. The businesses covered were a mix of small, medium, and micro businesses spanning across manufacturing, trading, and services. The aim of the research is to understand the motivations and challenges faced by the women entrepreneurs, with a special focus on digitization. The study was commissioned by Visa and managed by 4SiGHT Research and Analytics.

About Visa Inc.

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at About Visa, visamiddleeast.com/blog and @Visacemea

About HBL:

HBL was the first Pakistani 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 in Pakistan with 1750+ branches, 2200+ ATMs, 55,000+ Konnect by HBL agents (branchless banking platform), 47,000+ QR locations serving over 36 million clients worldwide. It is currently the largest Domestic Bank with a presence across major trade zones in the world. The Bank is recognized as the leading financial institution of the country for its client-centric innovation in financial services.

Key Highlights of the campaign:

• TikTok has recognized HBLPSL campaign as a global success story.
• 97% Pakistani TikTok users reached.
• 8.9 million videos created.
• Over 8.7 billion video views.
• HBL’s TikTok has over 550,000 followers* - highest in the banking industry.
*As of 31 October 2023

Pakistan, Karachi - 6 November 2023:

TikTok, the leading destination for short-form mobile video has published a case study on HBL’s campaign for HBLPSL Season 8 on its global website. The case celebrates the #JahanFansWahanStadium campaign and highlights the ground-breaking achievements of HBL. During the campaign, 8.9 million videos were created, generating over 8.7 billion views on the platform and it reached an incredible 97% Pakistani TikTok users. HBL is Pakistan’s no. 1 bank on TikTok with over 550,000 followers.

#JahanFansWahanStadium invited cricket fans to showcase and celebrate their passion for HBLPSL by posting interesting videos using the hashtag. Influencers were also engaged to create interest in the campaign. The popular and catchy HBLPSL anthem served as the perfect soundtrack, enhancing the atmosphere of every celebratory moment. By capitalizing on the enthusiasm surrounding the HBLPSL Season 8, the campaign united cricket fans and provided them with an exciting outlet to express their love for the sport on TikTok.

Speaking on the achievement, Ali Habib, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer – HBL, said “As HBL pivots towards the future, TikTok is an essential partner in helping us reach the next generation of Pakistanis. With the “Jahan Fans Wahan Stadium” hashtag challenge campaign, we were able to tap into the passion of cricket fans in Pakistan and create a truly immersive and interactive experience. The campaign was a huge success, with millions of young Pakistanis participating in, and sharing their love for HBLPSL, on TikTok.”

Commenting on the case study, Faiza Zafar, Partnerships Lead, Global Business Solutions, TikTok - Pakistan, said “We’re very proud of the work we’ve done with HBL on this landmark campaign. By leveraging the premium placement and mass reach of our ad solutions, while also working with TikTok’s brilliant community of creators, #JahanFansWahanStadium became a resounding success on TikTok. We’re looking forward to more collaborations with HBL in the future as they continue to successfully engage with the next generation of customers in Pakistan.”

Farhan Talib, Head of International Banking - HBL (designate), and Yu Xiaoming, DGM Financial Institutions - BOC signed the agreement in the presence of Liu Jin, Vice Chairman & President - BOC (standing 3rd from right), Sultan Ali Allana, Chairman - HBL, (standing 3rd from left) and Muhammad Aurangzeb, President & CEO - HBL (standing 2nd from left).

​Pakistan, Karachi - 15 November 2023:

HBL and the Bank of China (BOC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Strategic Cooperation at the BOC headquarters in Beijing, China. Liu Jin, Vice Chairman & President - Bank of China, Sultan Ali Allana, Chairman - HBL, and Muhammad Aurangzeb, President & CEO - HBL represented their respective institutions.

The signing of the strategic cooperation memorandum signifies HBL and BOC’s commitment to drive economic empowerment and regional connectivity. The cooperation between HBL and BOC will facilitate seamless trade opportunities, benefiting businesses in South Asia, Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa.

Both the organizations will also work to deepen strategic cooperation in the areas of Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG), technology, and training.

Bank of China is a premier bank in China with presence in over 60 markets around the world while HBL serves over 15 global markets with dedicated China desks and branches in Beijing and Urumqi.

​Pakistan, Karachi - 20 November 2023:

HBL sets the industry benchmark with Rs 1 billion in financing for solar tube wells. The facility enables farmers to adopt these capital-intensive technologies in an affordable and cost-effective manner. Farmers are facilitated with easy and quick access to credit through the Bank’s vast rural footprint. The milestone fosters HBL’s commitment towards sustainable and climate-smart agriculture in line with Aga Khan Development Network’s (AKDN) Net Zero Goal of 2030.

HBL as a signatory of Principles of Responsible Banking (PRB) and Net Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), is striving to promote renewable energy sources in the agricultural ecosystem and minimize carbon emissions by limiting the use of fossil fuels. Solarization of tube wells is the cost-effective solution that ensures a timely supply of irrigation water in the right quantity. These technologies considerably reduce the cost of production and improve farm productivity resulting in higher profit margins.

Commenting on this achievement, Aamir Kureshi, Head Consumer, Agriculture & SME Banking, stated, “HBL is leading the agriculture financing among the commercial banks and has actively partnered with farmers across the agriculture landscape for the timely provision of financial services to achieve the common objective of better crop yields and enhanced farm productivity. This will go a long way in ensuring food security and prosperity for the farming communities. HBL is committed to supporting the agriculture sector through leveraging technology and innovative financial solutions.”

​Pakistan, Karachi – 23 November 2023:

HBL has become a signatory to the United Nations Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs), a set of seven principles developed by UN Women and the UN Global Compact. The WEPs framework offers guidance to businesses on how to advance gender equality and women's empowerment in the workplace, marketplace, and community. This initiative is in line with HBL’s diversity agenda and its vision of creating a more diverse and equitable workforce. HBL has always considered diversity as a key pillar to its growth and takes pride in integrating females within its workforce.

WEPs are a primary vehicle for corporate delivery on gender equality dimensions of the 2030 agenda and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Established by UN Women and UN Global Compact, the WEPs are informed by international labor and human rights standards and grounded in the recognition that businesses have a stake in, and responsibility for, gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Speaking on the initiative, Muhammad Aurangzeb, President & CEO - HBL, said, “We believe that gender equality is essential for sustainable economic development and social progress. HBL is proud to sign up for the United Nations Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs). Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are the bedrock of HBL’s growth and business outcomes. DEI allows us to have a wider range of perspectives, experiences, and skill sets, which leads to better decision-making and an improved working environment at the Bank. DEI has never been a tick in the box for HBL; we are in fact the Most Inclusive Organization of 2022, having won awards in all 15 categories for Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Benchmarks (GDEIB). We look forward to working with WEP to make a meaningful contribution to the advancement of gender equality around the world.”

Muhammad Aurangzeb, President & CEO - HBL (standing 1st from left) and Dr Ma Jun, President Institute of Finance & Sustainability (standing 3rd from left) at the CASI ceremony held during COP 28 in Dubai, UAE. ​

Pakistan, Karachi – 5th December 2023:

HBL today, by invitation from the Institute of Finance & Sustainability, joined the Capacity Building Alliance of Sustainable Investment (CASI) to become the first CASI member in Pakistan.

CASI is an international cooperation platform aiming to deliver high-quality and higher-impact sustainable finance capacity building services for developing countries, via developing a “global aggregator and distributor of sustainable finance knowledge”.

Under the guidelines of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), HBL remains focused on sustainability and green operations initiatives. The Bank became a member of UNEP FI making it a signatory to the Principles of Responsible Banking (PRB) and Net Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA). As the first CASI member in Pakistan, HBL will contribute its expertise and resources to the alliance’s capacity-building efforts, enhance awareness, and create linkage with academia.

Speaking on the initiative, Muhammad Aurangzeb, President & CEO – HBL said, “This ground-breaking initiative will help to bridge the knowledge gap in sustainable finance and provide much-needed support to developing countries as they transition to a greener economy. We are committed to working with our partners to make CASI a success and to ensure that it delivers a real impact on the ground. HBL’s role as a member will not be limited to the financial sector but also regulators, ministries, national designated authorities, the workforce, and academia so that a comprehensive ecosystem can be built.”

​Pakistan, Karachi – 31 January 2024:

HBL, the Best Bank in Agriculture Financing leads with over Rs 2 billion in financing for solar-powered tubewells, thus, empowering farmers and fostering sustainability. This achievement is a testament to HBL’s commitment towards enabling farmers’ dreams of growth and prosperity through access to finance.

This milestone financing enables more than 850 farmers across Pakistan to irrigate their crops and orchards at the right time using environmentally friendly energy. This approach helps the farmers increase crop yields and farm productivity with the right quantity of water.

Commenting on this achievement, Ahmed Naazer Minhaj, Head Agriculture Banking - HBL stated, “Farmers have been facing challenges of water shortages, increased electricity tariff and diesel prices, which will be addressed largely by converting the tubewells to solar energy. This milestone corresponds to HBL’s commitment to transition to clean energy in agriculture, fostering reduction in carbon emissions and prospering farmers through the adoption of innovative technologies conveniently and cost-effectively”.

​Karachi – 14 February 2024:

HBL enters the world of Esports with the launch of the Konnect by HBL, EAFC Gaming Tournament. The tournament will provide a platform for aspiring and established Esports players to showcase their skills and compete. The tournament, focusing on the EAFC Football Game, will be held in Karachi on 15 February 2024, welcoming enthusiastic gamers from the city to participate. The tournament is powered by IGN and Raptr.

This exciting initiative marks a significant step towards connecting with the nation’s growing youth population and fostering a thriving Esports ecosystem within the country. By providing a platform for competition, nurturing talent, and promoting responsible gaming practices, HBL’s branchless banking platform, Konnect by HBL aims to play a key role in shaping the future of Esports in the country.

Commenting on the initiative, Ali Habib, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer – HBL, said, “Pakistan has a booming gamers community of over 37 million people. Gaming and Esports are a fast-growing subculture, and we believe the Bank’s initiative aligns perfectly with its commitment to empowering dreams and providing an enabling environment for the youth of Pakistan.”