- Introduction
- History
- Board of Directors
- BOARD SUB COMMITTEE
First Women Bank Limited is a unique financial institution and commercial bank of its kind in the world. It is the only bank in Pakistan that has a mandate to cater to the financial and business needs of women and provide them with easy access to credit for enterprise development. The FWBL Vision and Mission statements reaffirm this commitment. Pakistan earned the status of being a pioneer the world over in setting up this unique institution, observing which, India and Tanzania also followed suit. Initially, the FWBL model worked on catering to women at all levels of economic activity – micro, small, medium and corporate. Over the years, with the promotion or specialization of Microfinance banks which are set up to cater to the financial needs of low-income communities, FWBL has shifted its focus to a range of financial services (SME) other than Microfinance. Now, credit-worthy business concerns, irrespective of gender, can avail loans on a competitive basis. The Bank remains true to its roots as a women-centered organization, and facilitates the financial inclusion of customers who have availed financing facilities and are maintaining their savings and other business accounts. The Government of Pakistan owns majority shareholding (82.64%) in the Bank, while the remaining shares are held by the five big commercial banks – NBP, HBL, MCB, UBL and ABL. The Bank has short-term entity rating of A2 and long-term entity rating of A-. Being a commercial bank is of the utmost importance to help FWBL be a sustainable financial institution; hence, it has taken a strategic shift from its slogan of ‘by women, for women’, to a Bank manned by competent individuals to avail the benefits of diversity. FWBL has also opened up its market to men as well; however, its product development focuses specially on women’s business needs. It ensures that its products and services:
- Are easily accessible to women.
- Improve women asset ownership.
- Improve women participation in the labor force.
- Fulfill social responsibility for its users and end users.
First Women Bank Ltd. (FWBL) is a privately owned commercial bank. On 15 April 2026, the Bank entered a new era with the successful completion of its privatization, under which the Government of Pakistan transferred its shareholding and management control to EVE Holding RSC Limited, an affiliate of International Holding Company (IHC), of UAE. IHC is one of the region’s leading diversified investment conglomerates with interests across financial services, infrastructure, technology, healthcare, energy, and real estate with sovereign associations.
The transaction is regarded as a landmark Government -to- Government privatization, reflecting a strategic partnership between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
Reinforcing its financial strength and stability, the Bank’s entity ratings were revised by PACRA on June 24, 2026 to ‘A’ (long term and A1 ( short term).
Established by the Government of Pakistan, FWBL commenced operations in 1989 with the mission of promoting women’s financial inclusion and economic empowerment.
First Women Bank Ltd. has a wider vision than any other commercial bank to cater to women’s economic needs and to encourage them into trade, business, industry and the practice of their professions to promote economic prosperity and self-reliance in women of urban and rural areas.
Extract from Finance Division Government of Pakistan Yearbook 2011
It’s all about empowering institutions that empower women.
OUR VISION
To create value for our stakeholders, and contribute towards country’s economic development through mainstreaming woman by creating enabling environment as the dynamic agent of change and prosperity.
OUR MISSION
To be a sustainable bank offering efficient, cost effective and need based financial products and services with special focus to address women’s banking needs through strategic alliances. Improve governance through capacity building and restructuring of the Bank.
CORE VALUES
- Customer Centric
- Performance Oriented
- Honesty, Trust & Integrity
- Liberating People Potential
PACRA RATING
Rating Types
Entity
Current
(June 24, 2026)
Previous
(June 27, 2025)
Long Term
A
A-
Short Term
A1
A2
Outlook
Stable
Developing
In 1989, the establishment of FWBL was an innovative and bold step conceived by the then Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto (Shaheed). She envisioned a Bank that would undertake the conduct of all forms of business of Banking Company in a manner designed to meet the special needs of women, and to encourage and assist them in the promotion and running of trade and industry in practicing their profession.
The Bank came into being as an affirmative action of the Parliament to indicate the Government’s commitment to providing women (who form about half the population) access to formal financial services. The Bank was incorporated as a Scheduled Commercial Bank in the Public Sector as a Public Limited Company on 21st November, 1989 under the Companies Ordinance 1984 as a joint venture of the five largest Commercial Banks and the Government of Pakistan.
- National Bank of Pakistan
- Muslim Commercial Bank Limited
- Allied Bank Limited
- Habib Bank Limited
- United Bank Limited
- 10% of the remaining capital came from the Federal Government
- Microfinance to women under the Group Guarantee Scheme (which was later adopted by microfinance institutions that came into being) and initiated micro and small lending programs in the suburbs and rural areas close to the FWBL branch network.
- Many non-traditional products for the capacity building of women to help them undertake income-generating projects.
- Computer Literacy Training to a large number of women through its Computer. Literacy Centers located in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
SHELTER PROJECTS
FWBL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING CENTERS
FWBL UNDP PARTNERSHIP
FWBL- CIDA PARTNERSHIP
FWBL/ILO/IPEC
JAFAKASH AURAT
FWBL UNIDO PARTNERSHIP
FWBL GEP
Board Human Resource Nomination & Compensation Committee
- H.E Dalia Hazem Gamil Khorshid – Chairperson
- Mr. Hamdan Mohamed Ahmed Saeed Aldahmani – Member
- Mr. Adnan Zafar – Member
Board Risk & Compliance Committee
- Mr. Nayef Musallem Hamad Hamrour Alameri – Chairman
- Mr. Adnan Zafar – Member
- Mr. Daud Bin Farooq – Member
Board Audit Committee
- Mr. Hamdan Mohamed Ahmed Saeed Aldahmani – Chairman
- H.E Dalia Hazem Gamil Khorshid – Member
- Mr. Adnan Zafar – Member
Board I.T. Committee
- Mr. Suliman Abdullah S Alfallaj – Chairman
- Mr. Adnan Zafar – Member
- Mr. Farrukh Iqbal Khan – Member
Human Resource, Nomination and Compensation Committee
- Ms. Naghmana Alamgir Hashmi – Chairperson
- Ms. Bushra Ehsan – Member
- Mr. Muhammad Najeeb Agrawalla – Member
- Mr. Farrukh Iqbal Khan– Member
Risk and Compliance Committee
- Mr. Wajahat Rasul Khan – Chairman
- Mr. Sheharyar Ahmad – Member
- Ms. Saima Rehman – Member
- Mr. Farrukh Iqbal Khan – Member
IT Committee
- Mr. Muhammad Najeeb Agrawalla – Chairman
- Ms. Naghmana Alamgir Hashmi – Member
- Ms. Saima Rehman – Member
- Mr. Farrukh Iqbal Khan – Member
Audit Committee
- Ms. Bushra Ehsan – Chairperson
- Mr. Wajahat Rasul Khan – Member
- Mr. Sheharyar Ahmad – Member
- H.E Dalia Hazem Gamil Khorshid – Chairperson
- Mr. Hamdan Mohamed Ahmed Saeed Aldahmani – Member
- Mr. Adnan Zafar – Member
- Mr. Nayef Musallem Hamad Hamrour Alameri – Chairman
- Mr. Adnan Zafar – Member
- Mr. Daud Bin Farooq – Member
- Mr. Hamdan Mohamed Ahmed Saeed Aldahmani – Chairman
- H.E Dalia Hazem Gamil Khorshid – Member
- Mr. Adnan Zafar – Member
- Mr. Suliman Abdullah S Alfallaj – Chairman
- Mr. Adnan Zafar – Member
- Mr. Farrukh Iqbal Khan – Member
- Management Team
- Other Information
Mr. Aamir Zuberi
Head Risk Management Division
Mr. Farrukh
Iqbal Khan
President & CEO/ Executive Director
Mr. Dildar Ali Khawaja
Audit Division
Mr. Aamir Zuberi
Head Risk Management Division
Mr. Faisal Hussain
Mr. Furqan Yaser
Mr. Irfan Malik
Mr. Muhammad Farrukh
Ms. Nazia Zeeshan
Mr. Syed
Muhammad Raza
Ms. Zarina Sial
Head of Compliance & Head HR Additional Charge
Ms. Sakina Alam
Ms. Zarina Sial
Nazia Zeeshan
Mr. Aamir Zuberi
Head Risk Management Division
Mr. Dildar Ali Khawaja
Head of Audit,
Audit Division
Mr. Faisal Hussain
Executive Committee
- Mr. Farrukh Iqbal Khan (President & CEO FWBL)
- Mr. Aamir Zuberi Head Risk Management (Chief Risk Officer) – Member
- Mr. Faisal Hussain (Head Business Division) – Member
- Mr. Furqan Yaser (Company Secretary / Head Legal) – Member
- Mr. Irfan Malik (Head Operations) – Member
- Mr. Muhammad Farrukh (Chief Financial Officer) – Member
- Ms. Nazia Zeeshan – Head Treasury Division
- Mr. Syed Muhammad Raza (Head IT) – Member
- Ms. Zarina Sial (Head Compliance & Head HR Additional Charge) – Member
Assets & Liabilities Management Committee
- Mr. Farrukh Iqbal Khan (President & CEO FWBL)
- Mr. Aamir Zuberi Head Risk Management (Chief Risk Officer)
- Mr. Muhammad Farrukh – Member (Chief Financial Officer)
- Mr. Faisal Hussain – Member (Head Business)
- Ms. Nazia Zeeshan – Head Treasury Division
COMPANY SECRETARY & HEAD LEGAL
- Mr. Furqan Yaser
LEGAL ADVISORS
- Mr. Abdul Hameed Chohan ASC (Central Region)
- M/s. Imran Ameer Law Associates (South Region)
- Ms. Shahina Akbar ASC (North Region)
- M/s Bahzad Haider Law Associates (HR HO Karachi)
AUDITORS
- BDO Ebrahim & Co
TAX CONSULTANTS
- Grant Thorton Anjum Rahman, Chartered Accountants
- Introduction
- History
- Board of Directors
- BOARD SUB COMMITTEE
- Management Team
- Other Information
First Women Bank Limited is a unique financial institution and commercial bank of its kind in the world. It is the only bank in Pakistan that has a mandate to cater to the financial and business needs of women and provide them with easy access to credit for enterprise development. The FWBL Vision and Mission statements reaffirm this commitment. Pakistan earned the status of being a pioneer the world over in setting up this unique institution, observing which, India and Tanzania also followed suit. Initially, the FWBL model worked on catering to women at all levels of economic activity – micro, small, medium and corporate. Over the years, with the promotion or specialization of Microfinance banks which are set up to cater to the financial needs of low-income communities, FWBL has shifted its focus to a range of financial services (SME) other than Microfinance. Now, credit-worthy business concerns, irrespective of gender, can avail loans on a competitive basis. The Bank remains true to its roots as a women-centered organization, and facilitates the financial inclusion of customers who have availed financing facilities and are maintaining their savings and other business accounts. The Government of Pakistan owns majority shareholding (82.64%) in the Bank, while the remaining shares are held by the five big commercial banks – NBP, HBL, MCB, UBL and ABL. The Bank has short-term entity rating of A2 and long-term entity rating of A-. Being a commercial bank is of the utmost importance to help FWBL be a sustainable financial institution; hence, it has taken a strategic shift from its slogan of ‘by women, for women’, to a Bank manned by competent individuals to avail the benefits of diversity. FWBL has also opened up its market to men as well; however, its product development focuses specially on women’s business needs. It ensures that its products and services:
- Are easily accessible to women.
- Improve women asset ownership.
- Improve women participation in the labor force.
- Fulfill social responsibility for its users and end users.
First Women Bank Ltd. (FWBL) is a privately owned commercial bank. On 15 April 2026, the Bank entered a new era with the successful completion of its privatization, under which the Government of Pakistan transferred its shareholding and management control to EVE Holding RSC Limited, an affiliate of International Holding Company (IHC), of UAE. IHC is one of the region’s leading diversified investment conglomerates with interests across financial services, infrastructure, technology, healthcare, energy, and real estate with sovereign associations.
The transaction is regarded as a landmark Government -to- Government privatization, reflecting a strategic partnership between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
Reinforcing its financial strength and stability, the Bank’s entity ratings were revised by PACRA on June 24, 2026 to ‘A’ (long term and A1 ( short term).
Established by the Government of Pakistan, FWBL commenced operations in 1989 with the mission of promoting women’s financial inclusion and economic empowerment.
First Women Bank Ltd. has a wider vision than any other commercial bank to cater to women’s economic needs and to encourage them into trade, business, industry and the practice of their professions to promote economic prosperity and self-reliance in women of urban and rural areas.
Extract from Finance Division Government of Pakistan Yearbook 2011
It’s all about empowering institutions that empower women.
OUR VISION
To create value for our stakeholders, and contribute towards country’s economic development through mainstreaming woman by creating enabling environment as the dynamic agent of change and prosperity.
OUR MISSION
To be a sustainable bank offering efficient, cost effective and need based financial products and services with special focus to address women’s banking needs through strategic alliances. Improve governance through capacity building and restructuring of the Bank.
CORE VALUES
- Customer Centric
- Performance Oriented
- Honesty, Trust & Integrity
- Liberating People Potential
PACRA RATING
Rating Types
Entity
Current
(June 24, 2026)
Previous
(June 27, 2025)
Long Term
A
A-
Short Term
A1
A2
Outlook
Stable
Developing
In 1989, the establishment of FWBL was an innovative and bold step conceived by the then Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto (Shaheed). She envisioned a Bank that would undertake the conduct of all forms of business of Banking Company in a manner designed to meet the special needs of women, and to encourage and assist them in the promotion and running of trade and industry in practicing their profession.
The Bank came into being as an affirmative action of the Parliament to indicate the Government’s commitment to providing women (who form about half the population) access to formal financial services. The Bank was incorporated as a Scheduled Commercial Bank in the Public Sector as a Public Limited Company on 21st November, 1989 under the Companies Ordinance 1984 as a joint venture of the five largest Commercial Banks and the Government of Pakistan.
- National Bank of Pakistan
- Muslim Commercial Bank Limited
- Allied Bank Limited
- Habib Bank Limited
- United Bank Limited
- 10% of the remaining capital came from the Federal Government
- Microfinance to women under the Group Guarantee Scheme (which was later adopted by microfinance institutions that came into being) and initiated micro and small lending programs in the suburbs and rural areas close to the FWBL branch network.
- Many non-traditional products for the capacity building of women to help them undertake income-generating projects.
- Computer Literacy Training to a large number of women through its Computer. Literacy Centers located in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
SHELTER PROJECTS
FWBL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING CENTERS
FWBL UNDP PARTNERSHIP
FWBL- CIDA PARTNERSHIP
FWBL/ILO/IPEC
JAFAKASH AURAT
FWBL UNIDO PARTNERSHIP
FWBL GEP
Board Human Resource Nomination & Compensation Committee
- H.E Dalia Hazem Gamil Khorshid – Chairperson
- Mr. Hamdan Mohamed Ahmed Saeed Aldahmani – Member
- Mr. Adnan Zafar – Member
Board Risk & Compliance Committee
- Mr. Nayef Musallem Hamad Hamrour Alameri – Chairman
- Mr. Adnan Zafar – Member
- Mr. Daud Bin Farooq – Member
Board Audit Committee
- Mr. Hamdan Mohamed Ahmed Saeed Aldahmani – Chairman
- H.E Dalia Hazem Gamil Khorshid – Member
- Mr. Adnan Zafar – Member
Board I.T. Committee
- Mr. Suliman Abdullah S Alfallaj – Chairman
- Mr. Adnan Zafar – Member
- Mr. Farrukh Iqbal Khan – Member
Human Resource, Nomination and Compensation Committee
- Ms. Naghmana Alamgir Hashmi – Chairperson
- Ms. Bushra Ehsan – Member
- Mr. Muhammad Najeeb Agrawalla – Member
- Mr. Farrukh Iqbal Khan– Member
Risk and Compliance Committee
- Mr. Wajahat Rasul Khan – Chairman
- Mr. Sheharyar Ahmad – Member
- Ms. Saima Rehman – Member
- Mr. Farrukh Iqbal Khan – Member
IT Committee
- Mr. Muhammad Najeeb Agrawalla – Chairman
- Ms. Naghmana Alamgir Hashmi – Member
- Ms. Saima Rehman – Member
- Mr. Farrukh Iqbal Khan – Member
Audit Committee
- Ms. Bushra Ehsan – Chairperson
- Mr. Wajahat Rasul Khan – Member
- Mr. Sheharyar Ahmad – Member
- H.E Dalia Hazem Gamil Khorshid – Chairperson
- Mr. Hamdan Mohamed Ahmed Saeed Aldahmani – Member
- Mr. Adnan Zafar – Member
- Mr. Nayef Musallem Hamad Hamrour Alameri – Chairman
- Mr. Adnan Zafar – Member
- Mr. Daud Bin Farooq – Member
- Mr. Hamdan Mohamed Ahmed Saeed Aldahmani – Chairman
- H.E Dalia Hazem Gamil Khorshid – Member
- Mr. Adnan Zafar – Member
- Mr. Suliman Abdullah S Alfallaj – Chairman
- Mr. Adnan Zafar – Member
- Mr. Farrukh Iqbal Khan – Member
Mr. Aamir Zuberi
Head Risk Management Division
Mr. Farrukh
Iqbal Khan
President & CEO/ Executive Director
Mr. Dildar Ali Khawaja
Audit Division
Mr. Aamir Zuberi
Head Risk Management Division
Mr. Faisal Hussain
Mr. Furqan Yaser
Mr. Irfan Malik
Mr. Muhammad Farrukh
Ms. Nazia Zeeshan
Mr. Syed
Muhammad Raza
Ms. Zarina Sial
Head of Compliance & Head HR Additional Charge
Ms. Sakina Alam
Ms. Zarina Sial
Nazia Zeeshan
Mr. Aamir Zuberi
Head Risk Management Division
Mr. Dildar Ali Khawaja
Head of Audit,
Audit Division
Mr. Faisal Hussain
Executive Committee
- Mr. Farrukh Iqbal Khan (President & CEO FWBL)
- Mr. Aamir Zuberi Head Risk Management (Chief Risk Officer) – Member
- Mr. Faisal Hussain (Head Business Division) – Member
- Mr. Furqan Yaser (Company Secretary / Head Legal) – Member
- Mr. Irfan Malik (Head Operations) – Member
- Mr. Muhammad Farrukh (Chief Financial Officer) – Member
- Ms. Nazia Zeeshan – Head Treasury Division
- Mr. Syed Muhammad Raza (Head IT) – Member
- Ms. Zarina Sial (Head Compliance & Head HR Additional Charge) – Member
Assets & Liabilities Management Committee
- Mr. Farrukh Iqbal Khan (President & CEO FWBL)
- Mr. Aamir Zuberi Head Risk Management (Chief Risk Officer)
- Mr. Muhammad Farrukh - Member (Chief Financial Officer)
- Mr. Faisal Hussain – Member (Head Business)
- Ms. Nazia Zeeshan – Head Treasury Division
COMPANY SECRETARY & HEAD LEGAL
- Mr. Furqan Yaser
LEGAL ADVISORS
- Mr. Abdul Hameed Chohan ASC (Central Region)
- M/s. Imran Ameer Law Associates (South Region)
- Ms. Shahina Akbar ASC (North Region)
- M/s Bahzad Haider Law Associates (HR HO Karachi)
AUDITORS
- BDO Ebrahim & Co
TAX CONSULTANTS
- Grant Thorton Anjum Rahman, Chartered Accountants