Total bank lending improved by a net 0.5%, or Rs41.20 billion, to Rs8.09 trillion in September compared to Rs8.05 trillion in the previous month, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reported on Wednesday. “Advances should pick up in following months if Pakistan manages to avert the second wave of the virus,” Abbas stressed. Similarly, bank investments in government papers have been on the rise for the past eight consecutive months. They have been aggressively lending to the government as such lending has zero risk. The investment peaked at Rs11.09 trillion in September compared to Rs8.37 trillion in January 2020, according to the central bank.

Source: The Express Tribune October 15, 2020 03:11 UTC