{{About|the Pakistani bank}}
{{About|the Pakistani bank}}
{{Infobox company
{{Infobox company
| name = First Women Bank
| name = First Women Bank
| logo = Women bank.JPG
| logo = Women bank.JPG
| logo_size = 200px
| logo_size = 200px
| type = [[Unlisted public company]]
| type = [[ ]]
| foundation = {{start date and age|1989|12|02}}
| foundation = {{start date and age|1989|12|02}}
| location = [[Karachi]]-75530, [[Pakistan]]
| location = [[Karachi]]-75530, [[Pakistan]]
| key_people = Farrukh Iqbal Khan ([[CEO]])
| key_people = Farrukh Iqbal Khan ([[CEO]])
| industry = [[Banking]]<br />[[Capital Markets]]
| industry = [[Banking]]<br />[[Capital Markets]]
| products = Loans, [[credit card]]s, [[debit card]]s, savings, consumer banking, and bancassurance
| products = Loans, [[credit card]]s, [[debit card]]s, savings, consumer banking, and bancassurance
| revenue = {{increase}} {{PKRConvert|2.167|b}}
| revenue = {{increase}} {{PKRConvert|2.167|b}}
| revenue_year = 2023
| revenue_year = 2023
| assets_year = 2023
| assets_year = 2023
| website = {{URL|fwbl.com.pk}}
| website = {{URL|fwbl.com.pk}}
| owner = [[Ministry of Finance (Pakistan)|Ministry of Finance]] (82.64%)
| owner = [[ ]] (%)
| subsid =
| subsid =
| parent = [[Government of Pakistan]]
| footnotes = Financials {{as of|2023|12|31|lc=yes}} <ref name=”AR2023″>{{cite web|title=First Women bank Annual Report 2023|url=https://fwbl.com.pk/storage/2022/02/DOC-20240821-WA0152.pdf |access-date=10 January 2025}}</ref>
| footnotes = Financials {{as of|2023|12|31|lc=yes}} <ref name=”AR2023″>{{cite web|title=First Women bank Annual Report 2023|url=https://fwbl.com.pk/storage/2022/02/DOC-20240821-WA0152.pdf |access-date=10 January 2025}}</ref>
}}
}}
After a hiatus of several years, in February 2024, the Federal Cabinet of the Government of Pakistan finally approved the privatization of the First Women Bank.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-02-06 |title=Federal Cabinet approves restructuring of PIA, privatization of FWBL |url=https://www.radio.gov.pk/06-02-2024/federal-cabinet-approves-restructuring-pia-privatization-of-fwbkl |access-date=2024-03-07 |work=Radio Pakistan}}</ref>
After a hiatus of several years, in February 2024, the Federal Cabinet of the Government of Pakistan finally approved the privatization of the First Women Bank.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-02-06 |title=Federal Cabinet approves restructuring of PIA, privatization of FWBL |url=https://www.radio.gov.pk/06-02-2024/federal-cabinet-approves-restructuring-pia-privatization-of-fwbkl |access-date=2024-03-07 |work=Radio Pakistan}}</ref>
[[File:First Women Bank Limited Privatization.jpg|thumb|Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif observing Signing Agreement between First Women Bank Limited and IHC Chairman Tahnoon bin Zayed al-Nahyan]]
[[File:First Women Bank Limited Privatization.jpg|thumb|Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif observing Signing Agreement between First Women Bank Limited and IHC Chairman Tahnoon bin Zayed al-Nahyan]]
On October 16, 2025, Pakistan’s federal cabinet approved the sale of its 82.64% stake in First Women Bank Limited (FWBL) to the [[United Arab Emirates]]-based [[International Holding Company|International Holding Company (IHC)]] for $14.6 million (Rs4.1 billion). The transaction, conducted under the Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions Act of 2022, marks the first privatization under this legislation. The deal, valued at Rs5 billion for the bank, allows the buyer to meet the minimum capital requirement of Rs10 billion over five years. FWBL, established in 1989 to promote financial inclusion for women, had a net equity of Rs3.2 billion as of December 2023.<ref>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2572865/fwbl-sold-to-uae-entity-for-146m?amp=1</ref>
On October 16, 2025, Pakistan’s federal cabinet approved the sale of its 82.64% stake in First Women Bank Limited (FWBL) to the [[United Arab Emirates]]-based [[International Holding Company|International Holding Company (IHC)]] for $14.6 million (Rs4.1 billion). The transaction, conducted under the Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions Act of 2022, marks the first privatization under this legislation. The deal, valued at Rs5 billion for the bank, allows the buyer to meet the minimum capital requirement of Rs10 billion over five years. FWBL, established in 1989 to promote financial inclusion for women, had a net equity of Rs3.2 billion as of December 2023.<ref>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2572865/fwbl-sold-to-uae-entity-for-146m?amp=1</ref>
The sale agreement has been signed on October 17, 2025, in the presence of Prime Minister [[Shehbaz Sharif]]. The [[International Holding Company|IHC]], chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, plans to expand FWBL’s 42 branches to 200 in the medium term and is permitted to reduce up to 10% of the workforce immediately, with remaining employees protected from layoffs for at least 18 months.
The sale agreement has been signed on October 17, 2025, in the presence of Prime Minister [[Shehbaz Sharif]]. The [[International Holding Company|IHC]], chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, plans to expand FWBL’s 42 branches to 200 in the medium term and is permitted to reduce up to 10% of the workforce immediately, with remaining employees protected from layoffs for at least 18 months.
==References==
==References==
Pakistani state-owned commercial bank
First Women Bank Limited (FWBL) is a Pakistani state-owned commercial bank for women with headquarters in Karachi.[2]
History
The blueprint for infrastructure of the Bank was designed by Akram Khatoon. She presented it in 1988 to then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who approved to set up the bank in December 1988.[3] The bank was incorporated with a paid up capital of PKR 100 million which was subscribed by the state-owned banks.[4][5] Its original charter mandated that the bank would employ women and extend small business loans exclusively to women.[5] he first branch of the bank was opened in Karachi in December 1989, and by 1991, it had 15 branches throughout the country.[5]
Ownership
The Government of Pakistan now owns majority shareholding in the bank. The remaining shares are held by the five big commercial banks – National Bank of Pakistan, Habib Bank Limited, Muslim Commercial Bank Limited, United Bank Limited and Allied Bank Limited.[4]
Privatization
The Cabinet Committee on Privatization (CCoP) approved transaction structures for the privatization of First Women Bank Ltd.[6][7]
After a hiatus of several years, in February 2024, the Federal Cabinet of the Government of Pakistan finally approved the privatization of the First Women Bank.[8]
On October 16, 2025, Pakistan’s federal cabinet approved the sale of its 82.64% stake in First Women Bank Limited (FWBL) to the United Arab Emirates-based International Holding Company (IHC) for $14.6 million (Rs4.1 billion). The transaction, conducted under the Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions Act of 2022, marks the first privatization under this legislation. The deal, valued at Rs5 billion for the bank, allows the buyer to meet the minimum capital requirement of Rs10 billion over five years. FWBL, established in 1989 to promote financial inclusion for women, had a net equity of Rs3.2 billion as of December 2023.[9]
The sale agreement has been signed on October 17, 2025, in the presence of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The IHC, chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, plans to expand FWBL’s 42 branches to 200 in the medium term and is permitted to reduce up to 10% of the workforce immediately, with remaining employees protected from layoffs for at least 18 months.
References
- ^ “First Women bank Annual Report 2023” (PDF). Retrieved 10 January 2025.
- ^ Qureshi, Zunairah (January 30, 2022). “Is the First Women Bank Limited too pink to fail? We hope so”. Profit by Pakistan Today.
- ^ Bilquees, Faiz; Rauf, Shahnaz (1991). “The First Women Bank-Why and for Whom? [with Comments]”. The Pakistan Development Review. 30 (4): 745–753. JSTOR 4125949498.
- ^ a b Ali, Meiryum (2020-03-23). “Can Naushaba Shahzad turn FWBL around before it is too late?”. Profit by Pakistan Today. Retrieved 2020-09-11.
- ^ a b c Gargan, Edward A. (November 26, 1991). “Islamabad Journal; For Women, Finally, Credit Where Credit’s Due”. The New York Times.
- ^ Paracha, Shahzad (2020-08-21). “CCoP approves 7pc divestment in OGDC,10pc in PPL shares”. Profit by Pakistan Today. Retrieved 2020-09-11.
- ^ “Govt to sell stakes in three firms”. The Express Tribune. 2020-08-21. Retrieved 2020-09-11.
- ^ “Federal Cabinet approves restructuring of PIA, privatization of FWBL”. Radio Pakistan. 2024-02-06. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
- ^ https://tribune.com.pk/story/2572865/fwbl-sold-to-uae-entity-for-146m?amp=1
