BY: WAQAR HUSSAIN
HBL, Pakistan’s leading bank, has announced a strategic investment in AFT, an innovative fintech startup, to accelerate the development of Pakistan’s agricultural and merchant sectors. This investment will enhance financial inclusion and operational efficiency across these critical unbanked sectors.
Through its Digitt+ platform, AFT offers a multilingual interface enabling farmers and merchants to easily access digital payments and financial services. HBL’s investment in AFT will empower farmers with on-time payments and merchants with seamless digital transactions, boosting financial inclusion in Pakistan.
Commenting on this development, Naeem Bashir Ahmad, Head Corporate Strategy – HBL, said, “HBL looks forward to our investment in AFT, a company which embodies our vision of leveraging technology to serve the underserved. This strategic investment is a cornerstone of our commitment to fueling innovation and economic growth across the country. Together, we aim to transform the financial landscape for Pakistan’s farmers, merchants, and SMEs.”
Qasim Akhtar Khan, Founder – AFT, said, “The support from HBL is a significant step forward for AFT and for the communities we serve. This collaboration will enable us to scale our solutions, enhancing our ability to make financial services more accessible, secure, and efficient for the agricultural and merchant sectors. We are on a mission to enhance financial inclusion, and HBL’s investment significantly bolsters our capacity to make a lasting impact.”
