The Bank of Punjab (BoP) will open 13 more branches during the current year to expand its operations in different parts of the country. "With 13 branches opened last year, the number of the BoP outlets in all four provinces has reached 253," BoP Managing Director Hamesh Khan told newsmen. He said the bank, presently providing Automated Teller Machine (ATM) facility at only five branches, planned to install 25 more ATMs during the current year, and expressed hope that the entire network of the BoP branches in the country would become online by December.
Talking about the BoP's presence in the NWFP and other provinces, he said they had seven branches in the NWFP, including one at Mardan, providing agriculture credit to tobacco growers.
Responding to a question, Hamesh Khan said the BoP head office, which was operating in a rented premises since the establishment of the bank in 1989, would have its own building in the near future.
"We are planning to construct a twin-tower at the bank's own land at Upper Mall during the current year," he said adding the head office would be housed in one of the towers, while space in the other building would be rented out to generate funds.
On the Crop Insurance Scheme launched in July last, Hamesh Khan said about 25 percent of the Rs three billion extended by the BoP as agricultural credit was under the head of Crop Insurance Scheme.
Responding to another query, he said the BoP was working on a number of products including debit card to facilitate the people.