State Bank, World Bank working for safe electronic payments
KARACHI: The
State Bank of Pakistan is engaged with the World Bank to beef up security
checks on electronic payment transactions as technological advancement is
playing a pivotal role in financial inclusion of unbaked people in the country,
an official of the central bank said on Thursday.
"The State
Bank of Pakistan in collaboration with the World Bank and other stakeholders
has been striving to strengthen the electronic delivery channels through
automation and digitization. We are mindful of the critical role of technology
in achieving the strategic objective of national financial inclusion,"
said Muhammad Ashraf Khan, Executive Director, State Bank of Pakistan at the
14th annual conference on e-Banking.
"The State
Bank of Pakistan is currently working with the World Bank experts to develop
the future payment system specific to Pakistan," he added.
Ashraf Khan, Executive
Director SBP presenting memento to Mudasser Aqil, CEO, FINCA Micro Finance Bank
during e Banking 2016 international conference .Faisal Rahim, CEO, TOTAL
Communications was also present on this occasion
The central bank
is in the process to issue guidelines on Card Security and Prepaid Cards, he
said.
The conference
was organized by Total Communications in collaboration with 1Link and Pakistan
Software House Association for IT & ITES (P@SHA).
The central
banker said the alternate delivery channels like e-banking and branchless
banking have emerged as supporting pillars of SBP's vision for financial
inclusion.
"Over the
past five years, e-banking transactions have witnessed a phenomenal growth.
Volume of e-banking transactions has doubled. The number of users of internet
banking has reached to over 1.8 million," Khan said.
"A total of
100 million transactions worth 526 billion rupees were carried out during
July-September 2015. More than 13 million m-wallets have been opened so far and
these numbers are increasing at a faster pace," he said.
Faisal Ijaz,
chief executive officer, 1Link said the central bank is about to approve the
revised down tariff for financial transactions via PayPak, Pakistan's first
domestic payment scheme. "Besides, financial transactions, the PayPak
would also include social services like BISP {Benazir Income Support Programme}
and health insurance for poor segment of the society," he said.
Jehan Ara,
President, P@SHA said the information technology has revolutionized the payment
system in Pakistan. "P@SHA certainly to keep an eye over what is going
on," she said.
Achim Von Bremen,
Vice President Global Sales and Marketing Banking, Wincox Nixdorf, Germany,
asked bankers to pay more attention towards customers' financial needs and then
invest in technology accordingly. "Putting technology at first is wrong,
put customers at first," he said.
Mudassar Aqil,
Chief Executive Officer, FINCA Microfinance Bank, said his bank takes maximum
72 hours in processing and approving online loans. This time would soon be cut
to 24-hours maximum.
Ariful Islam,
Deputy CEO, Meezan Bank, said his bank has launched the first Islamic
branchless bank of the country recently in collaboration with Ufone.
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