National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) has opened its Badami Bagh branch here Wednesday, which was inaugurated by NBP Director Iftikhar Ali Malik. Senior NBP officials and business community of Badami Bagh area consisting of auto part market, steel and oil were also present on this occasion.
While addressing the gathering, former FPCCI President Iftikhar Malik said that under the new management led by Syed Ali Raza the NBP was progressing while its profits were increasing. He further said during first half of the year the bank's pre-tax profit was Rs 7.478 billion, out of which Sindh's contribution stood at 25.84 per cent while Punjab's was 24.62 per cent. "From the Lahore region, the NBP earned Rs 830 million profit, which was double from the corresponding year," he added.
According to him, efforts were being made to improve the efficiency of bank through staff training, appointing of competent staff at all branches, heavy focus on computerisation and online banking and concentrating on the bank's audit.
While declaring the Badami Bagh market as commercial hub of Lahore, Malik said that that branch would provide normal banking services, including import and export LCs, issuance of bank drafts and pay-order and facility of depositing government dues, including Sales Tax. "Moreover, the bank has taken a bold step for the revival of sick industrial units. Under Circular-29 of the State Bank of Pakistan we have written off their mark up and sanctioned new loans. Now, it was the duty of business community to run their units efficiently and play their due role in the national economy," he added.
NBP Central Region Business Chief Kamran Amin said they have opened a new branch in Badami Bagh, where auto and steel markets were the biggest markets in Asia and for the facilitation of the business community of the area, they would extend quality-banking services.
NBP Eastern Region head Adrees Haider Khawaja claimed that NBP was the number one bank of Asia and they would prove this by giving quality services to businessmen of the area.