For years after the 2008 financial crisis, the Bank of Punjab (BOP) has quietly stitched together a sturdier balance sheet and a more predictable earnings engine. The market finally sat up when management crossed a psychological Rubicon: policy‑backed, recurring cash dividends – paid in‑year – and an explicit intent to make them a habit.
At its mid‑year results briefing, BOP announced its first‑ever interim cash dividend of Rs1.0 per share, a watershed for a bank listed since 1991 but historically conservative about mid‑year payouts. Management framed the step as the natural outcome of a more resilient capital position and a business mix that throws off steadier income. They emphasised that interim payouts would continue and that quarterly dividends are now a live option – subject to board approval and the cadence of profits. That is a marked cultural shift in how the lender majority-owned by the government of Punjab thinks about capital return. The content in this publication is expensive to produce. But unlike other journalistic outfits, business publications have to cover the very organizations that directly give them advertisements. Hence, this large source of revenue, which is the lifeblood of other media houses, is severely compromised on account of Profit’s no-compromise policy when it comes to our reporting. No wonder, Profit has lost multiple ad deals, worth tens of millions of rupees, due to stories that held big businesses to account. Hence, for our work to continue unfettered, it must be supported by discerning readers who know the value of quality business journalism, not just for the economy but for the society as a whole.To read the full article, subscribe and support independent business journalism in Pakistan
