KARACHI: Askari Bank Ltd has accelerated its transition to Sharia-compliant banking, making Islamic banking services available across its entire branch network as Pakistan moves to expand its Islamic financial system.
Per the lender, half of its branches are now fully Islamic, while the remainder operate dedicated Islamic banking windows offering Sharia-compliant deposit products. The move aligns with the State Bank of Pakistan’s Vision 2028 and follows directives issued by the Federal Sharia Court.
“We are pleased to share that half of our nationwide branch network is fully Islamic, while the remaining branches have dedicated Islamic banking windows,” President and Chief Executive Officer Zia Ijaz said. He added that the transition reflected the bank’s focus on ethical, inclusive and customer-centric financial services.
Pakistan’s banking industry has been steadily increasing the share of Islamic finance, driven by regulatory support and rising demand for Sharia-compliant products. Askari Bank said the nationwide rollout would help broaden financial inclusion and support sustainable economic growth.
The bank said the expansion of Islamic banking services would allow it to better serve customers seeking Sharia-based financial solutions while contributing to the country’s broader efforts to strengthen the Islamic finance ecosystem.
