MG Morning Breeze: Updates to Skim before Market

Mettis Global's Morning Breeze reported that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has classified United Bank Limited (UBL), Habib Bank Limited (HBL) and National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) as banks of domestic systemic importance (D-SIBs) for 2026. The three lenders are now required to maintain additional capital buffers. The move places them under the central bank's D-SIB framework.

Separately, the same digest reported that the SBP Governor urged banks to strengthen retail deposit mobilisation and private-sector financing. NBP, one of the three named lenders, also has a new acting head: its CFO Abdul Wahid Sethi, appointed acting President and CEO after Rehmat Ali Hasnie's tenure expired on August 21, 2026. The digest did not give the size of the additional buffers or any timeline for compliance.