National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) (Urdu: نیشنل بینک آف پاکستان) is a Pakistani government-owned multinational commercial bank which is a subsidiary of State Bank of Pakistan. It is headquartered in Karachi, Pakistan. As of December 2022, it has over 1,500 branches across Pakistan.[2]
The bank provides various commercial and public sector banking services, including the debt-equity market, corporate investment banking, retail and consumer banking, agricultural financing, treasury services. In the year 2020, the bank was designated domestic systemically important bank (D-SIB) by the State Bank of Pakistan.[3]
NBP needed to redefine its role and shed the public sector bank image, for a modern commercial bank. It has offloaded 23.2 percent share in the stock market, and while it has not been completely privatised like the other three public sector banks, partial privatisation has taken place. It is now listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange.
A number of initiatives have been taken, in terms of institutional restructuring, changes in the field structure, in policies and procedures, in internal control systems with special emphasis on corporate governance, adoption of Capital Adequacy Standards under Basel III framework, in the upgradation of the IT infrastructure and developing the human resources.
National Bank of Pakistan has built an extensive branch network with 1450 branches and 1350 ATMs in Pakistan and operates in major business centres abroad. The Bank has representative offices in Beijing, Tashkent, Chicago and Toronto. It has agency arrangements with more than 3000 correspondent banks worldwide.
The Bank saw significant growth between 2000 and 2006. In 2016, total assets were estimated at PKR 1,799 billion, with total deposits being PKR 1,657 billion. Pre-tax profit rose to PKR 37.14 billion. Earnings per share have jumped to PKR 10.69. The increase in profit was achieved through strong growth in core banking income. Gross interest income increased to PKR 114 billion through growth in the loan portfolio as well as increase in spreads. Gross Advances increased to PKR 781 billion. It ranges from providing credit to the unbanked market segment under NBP Karobar, to small and medium enterprises, to agricultural loans, to large corporate customers.
It has taken various measures to facilitate overseas Pakistanis to send their remittances. In 2002, the Bank signed an agreement with Western Union for expanding the base for documented remittances.