Shafaqat Sultana said that since inception the bank had been concerned about the fact that operational results should meet the aspirations of entrepreneurs and national objectives. "We currently have 600 employees and in 1989 we were only 30. Our Deposit base was Rs 79 million and today our deposits have touched Rs 15 billion. In 1989 Advances were Rs 5 million and today they have crossed R. 10 billion. In 1989 women entrepreneurs were few in numbers and mostly associated with traditional business and today a number of our customers have graduated from running small to medium enterprises and the growth continues", she underlined.
She further said that in the year 1989 women bankers were 1% of the total bankers and today the percentage has significantly increased to 10 percent. Sultana said that the FWBL has branches in 24 cities across Pakistan adding that branches would be expanded in more cities.
She said that the FWBL model had been replicated in Tanzania, Iran, Iraq and other parts of the world saying that big players of banking industry in Pakistan were also implementing this idea by opening women branches and women empowerment cells in their institutions. She thanked Government of Pakistan, State Bank of Pakistan, FWBL Board of Directors for their continued support and guidance. Noted writer Hassena Moin also spoke to the gathering.