June 29, 2026 (MLN): The Pakistan Credit Rating Agency (PACRA) maintained the entity ratings of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), assigning a long-term rating of AAA and a short-term rating of A1+ with a stable outlook.

The ratings reflect NBP's preeminent position within Pakistan's financial system, underpinned by sovereign ownership, systemic importance, and a strong franchise base.

The bank's credit profile is supported by stable deposit mobilization, improving financial resilience, and sustained operating performance.

NBP's deposit franchise remained a key strength, with total deposits rising 14.6% year-on-year to Rs4,429.3 billion.

The CASA ratio improved to 80.7%, indicating continued strength in low-cost deposits, while the cost of funds declined sharply to 8.9% from 15.7% in CY24, supporting margin expansion.

Asset quality strengthened during the period, with non-performing loans falling 17.2% to Rs223 billion.

The NPL coverage ratio improved significantly to 106.4% from 83.9% in CY24, backed by credit loss allowances of Rs219.7 billion.

Profitability improved markedly in CY25, with net interest income rising 45.5% year-on-year to Rs248.5 billion.

The Capital Adequacy Ratio stood at 21.70%, while the Liquidity Coverage Ratio remained strong at 215%.

NBP continued its digital transformation through upgrades to its core banking system, strengthened cybersecurity across 6,000-plus network nodes, and expansion of its digital ecosystem, including mobile banking, EMV and contactless cards, Roshan Digital Accounts, Huawei Pay, API integrations, and merchant acquiring solutions.