Karachi Division

Karachi | ReNews Pakistan
Standard Chartered Pakistan has been named Pakistan’s Best Bank for Mortgages and Home Loans for 2026 by international financial publication Euromoney.
The recognition was announced under the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026, which identify leading banks across different markets and financial service categories. Standard Chartered was selected as the winner of the mortgage and home loans category in Pakistan.
The bank said the award reflected the strength of its mortgage offering and its efforts to provide clients with a smooth and customer focused home financing experience. Its mortgage proposition combines financing solutions tailored to customer needs with digital convenience and support from application through to completion of financing.
Standard Chartered Pakistan also offers Saadiq Home Finance, a Shariah compliant housing finance facility. The product supports the purchase of a home, renovation or extension of an existing property, enhancement of an existing financing facility and the transfer of outstanding home financing from another bank.
According to the bank’s website, Saadiq Home Finance provides financing of up to 75 percent of a property’s value, with repayment periods of up to 25 years. Customers can choose between hybrid and floating pricing options. The facility is available in selected areas of Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Standard Chartered has operated in Pakistan since 1863 and describes itself as the country’s largest and oldest international bank. As of March 2026, the bank maintained 165 service touchpoints across ten cities, including 38 branches, 107 automated teller machines and 20 cash deposit machines.
The Euromoney recognition is expected to strengthen Standard Chartered’s corporate position in Pakistan’s home financing market and support confidence in its mortgage services.
Customers considering home finance should nevertheless review the applicable pricing, monthly repayment obligations, total financing cost and early settlement conditions before entering into an agreement.

Karachi : ReNews Pakistan
The Sindh government has announced its support for the construction of 196 houses for families displaced by last year's devastating floods in the Tali Das and Badswat areas of Gilgit/Baltistan (GB), marking a significant step in inter provincial cooperation aimed at disaster recovery and sustainable development.
The commitment was made during a high level meeting in Karachi between senior officials of the Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan governments, where both sides agreed to broaden collaboration beyond post flood rehabilitation to include housing, public-private partnerships (PPPs), healthcare, education, revenue reforms, infrastructure development and investment promotion.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah reaffirmed his government's commitment to supporting GB in rebuilding flood-affected communities, saying Sindh was ready to share its institutional expertise and development experience. He stressed the importance of expanding private sector participation through the PPP model, developing Special Economic Zones (SEZs), and strengthening revenue institutions to accelerate economic growth.
Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Amjad Hussain welcomed Sindh's support and highlighted GB's vast untapped potential in hydropower, tourism and natural resources. He said the region was actively seeking domestic and international investment through transparent public private partnerships and viewed collaboration with Sindh as an opportunity to strengthen institutional capacity.
During the meeting, officials from the Sindh Housing Authority, Sindh Public-Private Partnership Board, and Sindh Revenue Board delivered detailed presentations outlining successful governance models and institutional frameworks that could be adapted for Gilgit-Baltistan. Both governments agreed to work towards establishing similar organisations in GB to improve housing delivery, investment facilitation, and revenue administration.
The two sides also agreed to establish joint working groups to oversee implementation of the agreed initiatives and ensure coordination between relevant departments. A follow up meeting, jointly chaired by the chief ministers, is scheduled to take place within the next two weeks to review progress and finalise an implementation roadmap.
The agreement reflects growing inter-provincial cooperation on disaster resilience and regional development, with both governments aiming to create long-term institutional partnerships that strengthen public services, attract investment, and improve living standards in Gilgit)Baltistan.

Karachi : ReNews Pakistan
The Sindh government has ordered an immediate overhaul of damaged roads and sewerage infrastructure in Karachi's Gulistan e Jauhar, as part of a broader push to improve civic services and address long standing public complaints about deteriorating urban infrastructure.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab to personally inspect the condition of the area's main roads, internal streets and drainage network, and submit a detailed report on the status of ongoing development work, blocked sewerage lines and road rehabilitation projects.
The chief minister instructed the mayor to ensure that repair work is carried out without unnecessary delays and that all concerned civic departments work in close coordination to resolve infrastructure issues affecting residents and daily commuters.
Officials said the government is prioritising the restoration of damaged road networks, clearance of blocked sewerage lines and improvement of sanitation services in one of Karachi's busiest residential neighbourhoods. The directives come amid growing concerns over poor road conditions, drainage failures and maintenance issues that have disrupted traffic flow and affected the quality of life for local residents.
Murad Ali Shah emphasised that negligence, poor maintenance and delays in public works would not be tolerated, warning that all departments involved must ensure timely completion of development projects while minimising inconvenience to the public.
The Sindh government has also instructed municipal authorities and relevant civic agencies to accelerate road rehabilitation, drainage improvement and sanitation initiatives across Karachi, reinforcing its commitment to strengthening urban infrastructure and enhancing municipal service delivery throughout the metropolitan city.