TIMES REPORT
PESHAWAR: Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi chaired a meeting on the affairs of Bank of Khyber (BoK). Adviser on Finance Tariq Mahmood Pasha, Special Secretary Finance Khalid Awan, the Managing Director of BoK and other officials attended. The meeting reviewed the Bank’s performance, achievements, challenges, future targets and institutional reforms.
Managing Director and CEO Hassan Raza briefed the Governor and presented 2024-25 as a year of improved performance for BoK, which has 256 branches across Pakistan, 170 of them in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and is being converted to Islamic banking. He added that steps have also been taken on institutional reform, restructuring and administrative change.
The meeting was told that BoK’s Road to Transformation programme is moving forward, with work under way to digitise services and upgrade the mobile app. BoK’s Currency Exchange Company will soon start operations.
A remittance card will be introduced to make receiving money from abroad easier. BoK has also signed an MoU with Pakistan Post, so that customers can receive their remittances through Pakistan Post’s wide network, bringing the service closer to their homes, including in remote areas.
Officials informed the Governor that BoK provides financing under two federal and four provincial government schemes, including Ehsaas Naujawan, Ehsaas Hunar, Ehsaas Apna Ghar, Prime Minister Apna Ghar and the agricultural loan programme. Work is under way to introduce modern financing facilities in agriculture and housing.
The Governor Faisal Karim Kundi directed BoK to develop a solar financing scheme so that the public can access financing for alternative energy. A proposal to open an account at BoK for the education costs of the children of police martyrs was also considered.
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa further directed that a marketing campaign be carried out across Pakistan on all of BoK’s loan schemes and financing facilities, including those in agriculture and housing, to raise public awareness. He stressed that the Bank’s services should match people’s needs and that institutional reforms should bring customers better, modern and easier banking.
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