Posts Tagged ‘pakistan microfinance’

By Anna Reitman and Asma Azmi, Microfinance Focus, Sep 7, 2010: Pakistan’s torrential floods which were declared as one of the worst-ever disasters of the world by United Nations have submerged a fifth of the country and left more than 6 million of its people homeless. The number of people suffering from the flooding exceeds 13 million which is reported to be more than the combined total of ... Full story

Microfinance Focus, Aug 4, 2010: The real figures would only emerge when the flood waters recede from the cities and villages of Pakistan, but it is being feared that millions of small and medium businesses have been ruined. This makes the task of microfinance providers all the more important. The overall recession coupled with this destruction will plunge millions more into poverty. Relief efforts are immediately ... Full story

By Farhat Abbas Shah, Microfinance Focus , June 14, 2010 : Results are always the best yardstick to measure the affectivity of any endeavor. It is not a matter of blame game or trading charges. To fight poverty all over the world requires stock taking of all the efforts made so far. Let’s take the example of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan, of course, differs from Afghanistan as ... Full story

Microfinance Focus, May 14, 2010: State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has yesterday issued amendments in the Prudential Regulations for microfinance banks (MFBs) for the maintenance of Cash Reserve & Liquidity and Submission of periodical returns. The amendments require MFBs to maintain CRR equivalent to not less than 5% of its deposits including demand deposits, and time deposits with tenor of less than 1 year. Time ... Full story

Microfinance Focus, May 4, 2010: Pakistan’s JCR-VIS Credit Rating Company Ltd. reaffirmed the entity ratings of Pakistan’s largest microfinance bank Khushhali Bank Limited (KBL) at ‘A-’ (Single A Minus) for the medium to long-term and A-2 (A two) for the short-term. Outlook on the medium to long-term rating is ‘Stable’. The ratings reflect KBL’s position as one of the largest microfinance banks operating in the ... Full story

Microfinance Focus, March 12, 2010: Uncertain political and economic environment, high inflation, rising poverty, over indebtedness, absence of credit bureaux are some of the factors that led to a crisis situation in Pakistan's microfinance, said Kashf Microfinance Bank CEO Ghazanfar Azzam, in an exclusive interview with Microfinance Focus, Lahore-based Kashf Microfinance Bank Ltd (KMBL) in Pakistan ... Full story

By Farhat Abbas Shah Microfinance Focus, March 1, 2010: Changing economic environment always calls for more innovative response. We, of course, are living in a time where hosts of events have crowded a comparatively short time span, particularly in the world of finance. Despite an incorporated world economy, the tools and methods needed in the so-called third world would definitely be different from those of implied ... Full story

Microfinance Focus, Nov. 26, 2009: Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Syed Salim Raza said the dynamic microfinance sector is emerging to provide financial services to all and underscored the key role by technology and commercialization to drive it further. He was speaking at the third Pakistan Microfinance Forum 2009 on “Mass Accessibility and ... Full story

MF Focus, July 17, 2009: State Bank of Pakistan has extended risk guarantee facility for microfinance banks and institutions with a fund of GBP 10 million received from the UK Department of International Development (DFID) which will be kept as reserve for the purpose, said a circular issued by the bank on Friday. (For a full version of the circular, visit SBP url: www.sbp.org.pk/Guidelines/index2.asp) The bank has also restrained microfinance interest rate by MFIs not to exceed 16% or two percent above the official discount rate of 14% and ameded its guidelines for the Microfinance Credit Guarantee Facility (MCGF) that was introduced in May this year. Full story