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State Bank of Pakistan and other banks engaged in Islamic Banking have sought media support in mobilizing and inclusion of more people from all sections of the society in the source banking system, especially the agriculture, micro-finance and housing sectors.. In order to create awareness and better understanding among the media people, a two-day workshop on 'Islamic Banking' has been organised for them. The Director of SBP's Islamic Banking Department, Saleemullah, said the print and electronic media is the best tool for opinion making and mobilizing the people towards Islamic banking, Besides establishing riba-free economy, however, the corruption in the society must end. Otherwise, the poverty can not be eliminated.

The Director of the Islamic Banking Department of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Saleem Ullah, has said that the mechanism for short-term liquidity instruments for Islamic banks is being evolved and the launch of these bonds is expected in the next six months. Currently, Islamic banks can only invest in three-year government ijara sukuk. Earlier, experts on Islamic banking and finance agreed the Islamic banks can invest in government activities and projects much like conventional banks but there is a need to create an underlying asset. Another expert said that while the industry has been partially successful in eliminating riba from banking transactions, it needs to introduce diversified products for those segments of the society, which want Islamic investment and financing.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has issued a circular to all Islamic banking institutions about the Islamic Export Refinance Scheme (IERS) and eligibility of Ijara Sukuk, Islamic bonds to be included in the Musharaka pool. Every Islamic bank is obligated to create a Musharaka pool consisting of financing blue chip companies on Islamic modes. The Musharaka pool is supposed to have a minimum of ten companies with diversified lines of businesses to avoid concentration in sectors. The circular listed the conditions that will make the Government of Pakistan Ijara Sukuk eligible to be included in the pool, created under the IERS. The Islamic banking institutions are also required to maintain records of Sukuk issues and the amount it allocated to its respective Musharaka pool.

State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has notified that now un-encumbered Government of Pakistan Ijara Sukuk may be included in the Musharaka Pool (MP), created under the Islamic Export Refinance Scheme (IERS). This inclusion will be subject to the several conditions. All Islamic Banking Institutions (IBIs) shall report Sukuk in MP under the sector heading of GoP Ijara Sukuk. IBIs shall maintain record of Sukuk issue included and the amount of that issue will be incorporated in the MP. The banks are advised to refer to SBP’s Islamic Export Refinance Scheme and other instructions issued from time to time. Other instructions on the subject remain unchanged,

A mass awareness campaign to increase public trust and confidence in Islamic banking, to be led by the Islamic banking industry with the support of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), is being launched shortly. According to Deputy Governor of SBP Kazi Abdul Muktadir, the Islamic banking industry is still facing many challenges which include low awareness and understanding of public at large about Islamic banking and its distinction over conventional banking. The campaign is expected to lead to further acceleration in the growth of Islamic banking.

The second National Islamic Microfinance Conference, which was jointly organized by the State Bank of Pakistan, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) and Farz Foundation, was recently held. At the conference, it was discussed that it was necessary for State Bank of Pakistan to develop a new policy instrument to deal with the financial needs of the small businesses. It was further noted that skilled people in the Islamic micro-finance industry were needed. A suggestion was made for Wafaqul-Madaris to introduce Islamic microfinance as a subject in order to be of help in guiding the banks who are working in this sector after studying.

Agha & Co/Agha & Shamsi (the “Firms”) were given the award “Best Islamic Law Firms of 2011” by the Global Islamic Finance Awards (GIFA). The awards were presented at the Oman Islamic Economic Forum (OIEF) by his Excellencies the Ex-Prime Minister of Malaysia Tun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi and H.E Yaseen Anwar, Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan.
The purpose of the award is to recognize and honor institutions and individuals for their commitment to excellence as well as contribution to the development of the Islamic finance industry.

The State Bank of Pakistan has awarded Silkbank with an Islamic banking license.
The bank will be initially aiming Pakistan’s main population centers, Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Faisalabad.

The 25th Board of Directors meeting of the International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM) took place on December 11 at Islamic Development Bank (IDB) offices in Jeddah. Present at the meeting were senior representatives from IDB, Central Bank of Bahrain, Central Bank of Sudan, Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam, Labuan Financial Services Authority (Malaysia), Bank Indonesia, State Bank of Pakistan, ABC Islamic Bank - Bahrain, Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad, Kuwait Finance House-Bahrain.
Mr. Khalid Hamad Abdul Rahman Hamad, Executive Director-Banking Supervision, Central Bank of Bahrain & Chairman of IIFM, welcomed the Board members and thanked them for their foresightedness and guidance which has been influential in IIFM’s focus on standardized documentation & products for the Islamic Capital & Money Market.

State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has issued Guidelines for Islamic Microfinance Business by Financial Institutions.

The first National Islamic Microfinance conference was held on 29th of January 2011 in the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry . The conference was attended by Iftikahr Malik, Vice Presiden Sarrc Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tahir Malik, Chairman Trafco Group of Companies , Mr. Zulfiqar Khokhar Additional Direcroe Islamic Banking & Finance Department State Bank of Pakistan, Mufty Iftikhar Baig, Sharia Advisoe of Albaraka bank Mufty Mahmood, Sharia Advisor Farz Foundation , Tariq Shafi, Regional Chairman FPCCI.and Ms Humera Awais Shahid, member Provincial Assembly.

Tenders for sale of 3-year Government of Pakistan Ijara Sukuk (GIS) have been invited by the Director, Domestic Markets & Monetary Management Department (DMMD), State Bank of Pakistan, from the designated primary dealers in accordance with the provisions FSCD circular No 15 dated 29th October 2010.

The asset-backed sukuk is set to be reality soon largely due to the efforts of the International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM) to develop a master agreement on this new form of Islamic bonds.
All concerned parties have been consulted to prepare a master agreement paving the way for a shift from the asset-based to asset-backed sukuk, or Islamic bond structure.
Besides the founding members, IIFM is supported by its permanent members, namely State Bank of Pakistan and Dubai International Financial Center Authority.

The following borrowers are expected to sell Islamic bonds:

TURKEY: Citigroup Inc. plans to arrange more sales of Islamic bonds from Turkey after managing a $100 million issue for Kuveyt Turk Katilim Bankasi AS, said Hulusi Horozoglu, director of global Islamic banking at Citigroup.

PAKISTAN: The South Asian country plans to sell sukuk maturing in a year or less in the domestic market by the end of this month, according to an e-mailed statement from Syed Wasimuddin, a spokesman for State Bank of Pakistan, the nation’s central bank.

CAGAMAS BHD.: Malaysia’s national mortgage company plans to sell more Islamic bonds this month following a sale in August under its 5 billion ringgit ($1.6 billion) sukuk program, the Business Times reported, citing an unidentified person familiar with the proposal.

INDONESIA: plans to sell 2 trillion rupiah ($224 million) of Islamic bonds by private placement this year, said Rahmat Waluyanto, a director at the Ministry of Finance.

Pakistan’s government plans to sell Islamic bonds in the domestic market by the end of this month, according to the central bank’s spokesman. State Bank of Pakistan is seeking to sell Islamic bonds maturing in a year or less

Governor State Bank of Pakistan Salim Raza has disclosed that the SBP is actively working with the industry and the federal government to develop Shariah compliant short-term securities, which will be issued on regular basis.

Total investments in the Islamic Banking Institutions (IBIs) swelled to Rs 64.7 billion during the third quarter (July-Sept) of current calendar year 2009 as against Rs 53.5 billion in April-June this year.

In order to standardize and harmonize Shariah compliance mechanism in IBIs, it has been decided that above AAOIFI
Shariah Standards are adopted in Pakistan. In the first phase, AAOIFI’s Shariah Standards No.3 (Default in Payment by a Debtor), No.8 (Murabaha to the Purchase Orderer), No.9 (Ijarah & Ijarah Muntahia Bittamleek) and No.13 (Mudaraba) have been reviewed and are hereby adopted for IBIs in Pakistan. The adoption of these Standards shall, however, be subject to certain clarifications and amendments as given in the attached Appendix- A. IBIs are also advised to be prepared for adoption of other AAOIFI’s Shariah Standards in next phases.

Shanthy Nambiar and Farhan Sharif reported on Bloomberg, 27 January, that Pakistan's Islamic banks plan to expand their network of outlets this year to take advantage of rising demand for Shariah-compliant financing according to Pervez Said, director of Islamic banking at the State Bank of Pakistan. These banks have 500 branches, after adding 210 outlets last year. Pakistan is promoting growth in Islamic finance to expand the reach of the banking sector which has less than 25 million deposit accounts. Shariah-compliant facilities are forecast to rise to 277 billion rupees ($3.5 billion) this year from 185 billion in 2008, according to central bank data.