The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has issued a policy mandate to commercial banks to increase the proportion of women in their workforce from 17 percent to 22 percent by December 2028, a significant move that will bring a notable improvement in the banking sector in Pakistan. The central bank’s new Banking on Equality Policy 2026 calls on financial institutions to prepare feasible recruitment plans with concrete timelines to increase the number of female members in regional branches and corporate offices.
SBP has directed Banks to post more women employees at convenient branches and cities wherever possible to increase the retention rate and overcome mobility challenges. There is a need for merit-based promotion systems for financial institutions to promote more women to senior management roles, with committed mentoring and training for younger employees. Moreover, promotion of women to more positions in the microfinance sector and other credit-giving activities, such as agriculture, housing and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), is a mandate for lenders.
The policy for support in the work place as outlined by the regulation must be adhered to, which includes full compliance with anti-harassment legislation, leave for maternity, miscarriage and the iddat as well as daycare facilities or alternative provision for working mothers. Central bank statistics show that the number of women who work in banks has risen from 13 percent in 2021 to almost 50,000 in 2025, while the number of women with bank accounts has increased by 116 percent to over 45 million, closing the gender gap in financial inclusion from 39 percent to 29 percent.
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