KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) celebrated its 70 years’ anniversary on Sunday with a number of programs taking place simultaneously at the Bank in Karachi. These activities were aimed at sharing the 70 years’ history of SBP and bridging the information gap on various functions and achievements of SBP and its subsidiaries. The programs were attended by a cross-section of society, particularly school children.
The Bank organised an insightful panel discussion on this historical occasion covering a wide variety of topics including macroeconomic management, SBPs conduct of monetary policy and role in the promotion of credit extension to priority areas and use of digital innovations and technology in providing banking services. In this discussion, current, as well as previous SBP governors including Tariq Bajwa, , Dr Ishrat Husain, Yaseen Anwar, Ashraf Mahmood Wathra, and Finance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar participated.
The participants shared their thoughts and candid views on their experiences and future vision for the Bank and congratulated executives and staff of the SBP for achieving several milestones in its 70 years’ journey. SBP Governor Tariq Bajwa in his concluding remarks stated that the SBP had always strived to live up to expectations of Quaid-e-Azam pertaining to professionalism and forward-looking approach in discharging its mandate.
A special documentary focusing on the history of the SBP was also screened during the seminar. The documentary portrayed challenges confronted by the Bank right after its inception, and its subsequent journey towards professional excellence.
Governor Sindh Muhammad Zubair, former SBP governors, the SBP Board members, diplomats, media personalities, presidents and CEOs of commercial banks and dignitaries of the city, attended the seminar.
On this special occasion, the Bank organised special exhibitions and an Open House session that remained open to the public and ran throughout the day. MW Farooqui, the senior most employee of the Bank inaugurated the Open House at the age of 95 years. He has the distinction of attending the inauguration of State Bank of Pakistan by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on July 1, 1948.
Visitors from different walks of life were enthralled to be part of festivities that were started at Museum and Art Gallery and the Main Banking Hall. Dr Shamshad Akhtar inaugurated the exhibition and unveiled the commemorative stamp issued by Pakistan Post. Akbar Ali Dero, the Postmaster General, Pakistan Post was also present on this occasion. Enlarged images of the stamps issued earlier were also displayed while a corner of the Museum was dedicated to the photographs of the past SBP governors along with coins and currency notes issued during their tenure.
The general public turned out in droves in Open House session. In order to provide the public maximum information on this day in a befitting manner, special counters were set up for the sale of Commemorative Coins and Prize Bonds to visitors. There was an exhibition of Currency Cycle and the stalls showcased Currency designing and printing processes and live demonstration of Currency notes examination machines, prize bonds draw. Live demonstrations of Desktop Notes Sorting (DNS) and Countertop Notes Sorting (CNS) machines, and Video display of state of the art notes processing system (BPAS Machine used by SBP) was also arranged for the interest of general public.
