Manzar Naqvi
KARACHI: In a continued demonstration of corporate responsibility and compassion, Bank Alfalah has announced an additional contribution of USD 5 million (PKR 1.4 billion) to assist in the rehabilitation of communities devastated by the 2025 floods, bringing the Bank’s total contribution toward flood relief and recovery since 2022 to USD 15 million. The decision was formally approved by Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak Al Nahayan, Chairman of Bank Alfalah, and the Bank’s Board of Directors, reaffirming their steadfast commitment to helping Pakistan rebuild stronger and more resilient communities in the face of escalating climate challenges.
Bank Alfalah’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Atif Bajwa, announced the new funding, describing it as part of the institution’s long-term commitment to humanitarian recovery, community empowerment, and sustainable development. “At Bank Alfalah, we aspire to be more than a financial institution – we are a caring bank,” said Bajwa. “We are deeply grateful to our Chairman and Board for this generous pledge. It reflects our shared belief that rebuilding lives, restoring livelihoods, and strengthening climate resilience are moral and national imperatives.”
The newly announced USD 5 million will be disbursed through a network of partner non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and implementation partners, ensuring transparent, accountable, and efficient use of funds. The initiative will prioritize the restoration of infrastructure, the rebuilding of livelihoods, and the strengthening of community resilience across Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) – three regions severely impacted by the 2025 monsoon floods. The multi-sectoral development program will include projects in housing reconstruction, education, primary healthcare, and climate-smart agriculture. These efforts are designed to enable affected families to rebuild sustainably, adapt to climate-induced risks, and regain access to essential services and livelihoods.
Bajwa emphasized that rehabilitation efforts are being managed directly by Bank Alfalah and its NGO partners, not through government channels, to ensure transparency and rapid impact on the ground. “We work closely with trusted partners who have strong track records in community-based development,” he said.
The Bank’s announcement comes at a time when Pakistan is once again grappling with widespread devastation from the 2025 monsoon season – a crisis described by humanitarian agencies as one of the most destructive since the floods of 2022. According to UNICEF, at least 946 lives have been lost, including 255 children, while over 1.5 million people have been displaced across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. Flash floods and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) continue to ravage Gilgit-Baltistan, further intensifying Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate change. Bajwa revealed that 12 Bank Alfalah branches were also partially damaged during the recent floods, but operations were quickly restored to ensure continued financial access for affected communities. “Even in the hardest-hit areas, our teams worked tirelessly to serve our customers and extend financial relief where possible,” he said.
The Bank’s continued engagement in flood rehabilitation builds on its USD 10 million emergency response program launched after the 2022 floods, which affected more than 33 million people nationwide. That initiative was implemented in two phases: immediate relief, which provided emergency aid including food, shelter, medical assistance, and financial support to displaced families across Sindh and Balochistan; and long-term rehabilitation, focusing on the reconstruction of homes, schools, healthcare facilities, and livelihood restoration projects. “Despite the scale of the disaster, Bank Alfalah was among the first financial institutions to act decisively,” Bajwa said. “We believe that our responsibility extends beyond banking – to helping people, especially in times of national crisis.”
The Bank’s total contribution of USD 15 million since 2022 positions it among Pakistan’s leading private-sector donors in disaster recovery and climate resilience. Bank Alfalah’s approach blends philanthropy with sustainability, aiming to not only rebuild communities but to make them more resilient to future climate shocks. Experts note that this commitment aligns with Pakistan’s National Adaptation Plan and global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those focused on climate action, poverty reduction, and community well-being. Bajwa added that the Bank continues to explore green financing models, micro-credit for small farmers, and renewable energy partnerships to strengthen climate adaptation and reduce socio-economic vulnerability across rural Pakistan. “These floods are a reminder that climate change is not a distant threat – it is a present reality,” Bajwa said. “Our collective response must go beyond charity; it must create systems of resilience that protect lives, livelihoods, and future
