Bank Alfalah, a leading commercial bank in Pakistan, has reported progress in advancing women’s financial inclusion across Pakistan, with growth in women customers, increased financing for women entrepreneurs, and broader representation of women across its workforce and leadership structures. The Bank released data highlighting its progress over the years, showing how its efforts have supported greater financial inclusion and economic participation for women across Pakistan.
Customers: Expanding Access to Banking and Finance
At the Bank, women now hold 18% of Bank Alfalah’s total accounts, representing approximately 650,000 customers. In 2025, the Bank recorded a 12% increase in women account holders, with female customers contributing 11% of total deposits, amounting to PKR 237 billion.
Bank Alfalah has also expanded lending support for women entrepreneurs seeking to start or grow businesses.
Within the small and medium enterprise segment, the number of women borrowers increased by 20 % in 2025, with 117 new women-led businesses financed primarily in the manufacturing and trading sectors. Total SME financing for these businesses amounted to PKR 521 million.
In the agriculture sector, 857 women-led businesses received PKR 1.32 billion in financing in 2025, supporting activities such as dairy farming, livestock management, and crop production.
The Bank also disbursed PKR 264 million in interest-free financing to 127 women small-scale farmers under its Revive and Rise scheme, supporting livelihoods in areas where access to affordable credit remains limited.
Bank Alfalah continues to support the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) by facilitating the digital distribution of financial assistance across Pakistan. Since 2022, beneficiaries served through the bank have increased by 150%, reaching approximately 4.5 million women. Through this partnership, the bank provides quarterly disbursements of approximately PKR 48 billion to households nationwide.
Through AlfaMall, Bank Alfalah’s digital platform connecting buyers and sellers, the Hunarmand feature enables women artisans to sell products directly to customers through digital storefronts and integrated payment solutions. Entrepreneurs on the platform sell products including clothing, home décor, crockery, footwear, jewellery, and accessories, generating an average of PKR 72 million in monthly sales.
Colleagues: Workforce Representation and Pay Transparency
Bank Alfalah also released its Gender Pay Gap Statement for the year ended 2025 as part of its commitment to transparent reporting and responsible governance. The Bank reported that pay parity across comparable roles remains largely balanced, with minimal differences across most management and officer grades.
Women currently represent 21% of the bank’s workforce, compared with 79% men. Reflecting the Bank’s ongoing efforts to strengthen female representation in leadership and career advancement, 17% of all performance-based promotions during the year were awarded to women overall, while 32% were at mid-career level.
To support women’s career progression, the bank continues to expand programs including capacity-building initiatives, succession planning, childcare allowances, six months of maternity leave, and structured development programs.
Community Partnerships Advancing Women’s Empowerment in Pakistan
Bank Alfalah also supports women’s economic participation through community partnerships and development programs.
In collaboration with Akhuwat Islamic Microfinance, the Bank is facilitating interest-free microfinance of PKR 25 million for 500 women in underserved communities across Karachi, enabling them to establish or expand small businesses, such as beauty salons, tailoring services, and neighborhood grocery stores. The Bank partnered with Legal Aid Society to deliver 200 community legal and financial awareness sessions in low-income settlements, reaching approximately 4,000 community members.
The Bank has partnered with Zindagi Trust to establish two Digital Arts Labs in girls’ schools, providing digital training and freelancing skills to approximately 2,000 students. Moreover, the Bank provided vocational training to over 300 participants through the Behbud Association.
Through partnerships with leading universities such as IBA, LUMS, and Habib, the Bank also provides scholarship and professional education opportunities for women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), social sciences, and journalism, with more than 30 female students supported to date.
Bank Alfalah also supports women’s healthcare, with a particular focus on maternal and child health. In partnership with Pahchaan and Vital Pakistan, the bank has helped establish community health centers that provide free pre- and postnatal checkups to over 3,000 women to date. The Bank also supports breast cancer treatment through partnerships with Indus Hospital, Health Network, and Cancer Foundation Hospital, with 35 women supported so far.
The Bank’s efforts align with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 on Gender Equality by promoting women’s access to financial services, economic resources, and leadership opportunities. They also support SDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth and SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities through initiatives focused on entrepreneurship, employment, and inclusion.
