KARACHI – March 7, 2026: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has imposed a monetary penalty of around Rs329 million on Habib Bank Limited (HBL) during the calendar year 2025, according to the bank’s latest financial disclosures.
The penalty details were revealed in HBL’s annual financial statement for the year ending December 31, 2025, which was submitted to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). The document shows that the central bank took regulatory action against the bank for various compliance violations during the year.
Increase in SBP Penalties
The disclosure indicates that the penalty imposed by the SBP in 2025 increased compared with the previous year. In 2024, the central bank had fined HBL Rs297.47 million, meaning the penalty rose by more than Rs31 million year-on-year.
The central bank regularly imposes financial penalties on banks and other financial institutions to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, strengthen oversight, and maintain transparency in Pakistan’s banking sector.
Penalties from Other Regulators
Apart from the penalty imposed by the State Bank of Pakistan, HBL also faced fines from other regulatory authorities during 2025.
The bank reported Rs9.85 million in penalties from other regulators in 2025, which was significantly lower than the Rs59.69 million recorded in 2024.
Total Regulatory Penalties in 2025
Overall, HBL faced total penalties of Rs338.78 million in 2025, compared with Rs359 million in the preceding calendar year. Despite the higher penalty from the central bank, the total amount of regulatory fines declined due to lower penalties from other authorities.
HBL Reports Strong Profit Growth
Despite the regulatory penalties, HBL reported strong financial performance in 2025.
According to its financial results, the bank achieved its highest-ever profit before tax of Rs148.1 billion, representing a 23 percent increase compared with 2024.
The bank’s profit after tax reached Rs66.8 billion, marking a 16 percent growth year-on-year. The increase was attributed to strong performance from the bank’s domestic operations and improved results from its subsidiaries.
HBL’s earnings per share (EPS) also improved significantly, rising from Rs39.85 in 2024 to Rs45.48 in 2025, reflecting the bank’s continued profitability and operational expansion.
Financial analysts note that despite regulatory penalties, major banks in Pakistan continue to report robust earnings due to strong lending activity, higher interest rates, and improved operational efficiency.