Internship Report on Askari Bank Limited

Askari Bank Limited

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COMSATS Institute of Information Technology

Internship Report on Askari Bank Limited

Submitted to: Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS Islamabad

Submitted by: Rahatullah Mallick

FA09-BBA-128/ISB

Askari Bank Limited

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Acknowledgement

I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Kiyani, Mr Iftikhar and Mr. Shahzad

whose constant guidance and encouragement in the preparation of this internship report and during

the course of my internship was a source of endless knowledge and practical experience.

I would also like to thank Mr. Arif for facilitating and guiding me in the selection process regarding

this internship as without him this would not have been possible in the first place and his kind

behavior will forever be a source of endless encouragement.

The staff from the manager to the lowest cadres are the ones who made this experience a

memorable one and gave me a practical insight in to the business world as the experiences during

the course of my internship were an excellent experience in terms of practical learning.

On top of all these I would like to thank my parents and teachers who are a constant source of

knowledge and motivation for me and whose prayers have raised me to the level where I am able

to secure such opportunities.

Thank you all

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Table of Contents

Original/Attested Internship Letter...I

Executive Summary ...II

1. Introduction ...5

1.1. Company Background (History) ......5

1.2. Objectives .....6

1.3. Organizational Structure ..7

1.4. Products or Services Offered ..10

2. Learning & Experience ...........18

2.1. Internship Duration & Rationale for Selection ..19

2.2. Department wise training ...19

2.3. SWOT Analysis of Askari Bank Limited ...21

2.4. Recommendations ..25

3. Conclusion 26

4. References.27

5. Personal Resume ......28

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Executive Summary:

I did a 6 weeks internship at Askari Bank Limited Abbottabad branch located on Mansehra

Road which started on the 9th of July 2012 and ended on August 20th 2012. As a compulsory

requirement for students enrolled at COMSATS Institute of Information Technology; I

completed my six weeks internship at the above mentioned organization. The purpose of

this internship is to enable students who are about to pass out from the institute to get a

taste of practical life, of how life would be and how we would handle the challenges it

throws at us once we walk out from these gates. Those six weeks were a wonderful

experience full of learning and understanding and putting the knowledge we learned into

perspective. This report sheds light on what was learned during that time during my

internship at Askari Bank Limited.

This report starts with an introduction and from thereon follows the pattern that was kindly

provided to us by our honorable institute covering the objectives, the operational details

and lastly, what I learned as an internee at Askari Bank Limited. Established in 1991 it

began its operations in 1992 and offers a wide portfolio of services while maintaining a

close link with the Armed forces of Pakistan as it is currently owned by the Fauji

Foundation and was previously owned by the Army Welfare Trust.

As an internee I got to work in four important sections of the bank namely deposits, bills

and remittances, accounts and credit. A through briefing followed by a vigorous routine

are the characteristics of a banking job and my internship was no different where we were

given large loads of work while keeping us motivated with learning throughout the course

of our internship. My report is based on my learning experiences at Askari Bank Limited

and how this experience has boosted professionalism and understanding in me.

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1. Introduction:

Askari Bank Limited is a Pakistani bank currently owned with a majority share of 50.57% by the

Fauji Foundation. It is a Pakistani bank which offers a wide portfolio of services ranging from

basic banking facilities and credit options. It has a network consisting of 222 branches and the

operating in three regions in Pakistan

namely North region, Central region and

South region with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,

Azad Jammu Kashmir and Gilgit

Baltistan making up the North region

while Punjab lies in the Central region

and Sindh and Baluchistan making up the

South region. Askari Bank Limited has a

total of 263 ATMs (Automated teller

machine) located across Pakistan serving

both its own and customers of other

banks. It enjoys a good PACRA rating of

A1+ for short term liabilities and AA

rating for its long term liabilities and also has its operations in Bahrain. In 2009, its revenue was

Rs.1.1Billion, its net income was Rs.9.03Billion, its total assets amounted to Rs.25, 432Billion

and it had 7279 employees. The map of Pakistan illustrates the major cities where Askari Bank

carries out its operations.

1.1 History:

It was incorporated on 9th October 1991 and its stock was floated in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad

stock exchanges at that time and the head offices at that time were located in Army Welfare Trust

(AWT) plaza Rawalpindi also because it was initially owned by the AWT while Fauji Foundation

only recently bought its majority shares.

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Askari Bank Limited was the first bank in Pakistan to offer Internet Banking facilities and was

also one of the first bank to offer business to business internet commerce which was a great help

for businesses looking to purchase on credit. The main focus of Askari Bank Limited is that in the

modern competitive and uncertain era, sustained and balanced growth is the key to success with

unnecessary risk to be avoided at all costs because the purpose of any bank is to ensure the safety

of its assets and not gambling in order to get higher profits.

1.2 Objectives:

Objectives are short statements that any organization issues in order to explain what they want to

achieve or where they see themselves after a period of time. Organizational objectives have to be

and usually are completely in line with the vision or the purpose of existence of an organization.

A good way to gauge these objectives is to have a critical analysis of the vision and mission

statement of that particular company. The vision statement of Askari Bank Limited is:

To be the bank of first choice in the region.

Similarly, their mission statement is:

To be the leading private sector bank in Pakistan with an international presence, delivering

quality service through innovative technology and effective human resource management in a

modern and progressive organizational culture of meritocracy, maintaining high ethical and

professional standards, while providing enhanced value to all our stake-holders, and contributing

to society.

Askari Bank Limited focuses its operations on the core values that it terms as

Commitment:

Passionate about our customers success and delighting them with the quality of our service.

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Integrity:

A distinctive investment, delivering outstanding performance, return and value.

Fairness:

Exemplary compliance, governess and business ethics.

Teamwork:

Caring for our people and helping them to grow.

Service:

Dedication towards social developments and improvements in quality of life.

The vision statements and mission statements and the core values are relayed to every new

individual that joins the organization and it is made sure that they comply by them no matter

whatever the situation and never forget these because the customer is the primary focus.

1.3 Organizational Structure:

An organizational structure is the structure of any organization and tells a lot about that

organization and gives all the stake holders important information about the degree of

decentralization in the organization as well as who does what in any organization.

Askari Bank is divided in terms of the groups or divisions present in it and then further division is

done on the basis of the specific department while in reality a matrix like system exists in which

different departments and bodies come together to perform all the banking operations.

This can be further elaborated with the help of the organogram illustrated below:

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Askari Bank Limited

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As is pretty clear and evident from the organogram above, the bank operates in a matrix like

fashion with various departments functioning in various areas under their respective and area

heads. The organizational chart above is divided in terms of the three core activities i.e. the

specialized business that is performed by the bank, the regular consumer banking carried out at the

branches and the support that is provided to the banking activities in the form of operations and

credit department support, planning and corporate, human resource and finance divisions with each

department playing their vital role.

There are three structures that any organization can follow namely functional, divisional and

matrix structure. The matrix system is usually leaded by the heads made with respect to

geographical locations with policies and rules being made by their respective support departments

while the geographical heads are in charge of the overall performance which is measured in terms

of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and targets that are set by the central authority.

This particular matrix system is very useful in managing the ever growing bank with surprising

ease as it allows for a very clear chain of command without the problem of a confused power

structure in which no one in certain what to do and whom to report to. Every branch has certain

people from credit, accounts, human resource etc. who collectively report to the Branch Manager

who is answerable to the regional, then zonal and finally business heads who are all part of the

team in charge of running the bank who report directly to the president. The functional heads sit

in the regional or head offices from where they monitor the situation and implement and improve

upon pre-existing policies and rules.

The auditing is done at internal and external levels of the organization with internal audit being

done by the banks own audit team while external auditors from the State Bank of Pakistan and

KPMG Taseer Hadi and Co. which is a renowned auditing firm in Pakistan. All this ensures utmost

security to all the stake-holders involved leaving no room for doubt in any operation or dealing of

the bank what so ever. Similarly, the legal advisors of Askari Bank Limited are Rizvi, Isa, Afridi

& Angell which is a legal firm located in Islamabad.

The internal Audit committee consists of four members whose names are:

Dr. Bashir Ahmad Khan (Chairman)

Mr. Khawaja Jalaluddin Roomi (Member)

Mr. Wazir Ali Khoja (Member)

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Mr. Ali Noormahomed Rattansey (Member)

The board of directors of Askari Bank Limited as quoted on their official website on Febraury 10th

2013 consist of

Lt. Gen. Javed Iqbal

Lt. Gen. Tahir Mahmood

Mr. Zafar Alam Khan Sumbal

Dr. Bashir Ahmad Khan

Mr. Shahid Mahmud

Mr. Muhammad Riyazul Haque

Mr. Ali Noormahomed Rattansey

Mr. Malik Riffat Mahmood

Mr. Wazir Ali Khoja

Mr. Khawaja Jalaluddin Roomi

Mr. Muhammad Rafiquddin Mehkari

Mr. M.A. Ghazali Marghoob

The executive profile of the bank cosists of the key people in the bank which includes the group

heads of various groups present inside the bank. These are:

Mr. Tahir Aziz (Group Head - Corporate & Investment Banking)

Mr. S. Suhail Rizvi (Group Head Business Transformation)

Mr. Haseeb Saulat (Group Head Marketing and strategic planning)

Mr. Javed Iqbal (CIO Electronic Technology Division)

Mr. Imtiaz Ahmad Sheikh (Electronic Technology Division)

1.4 Products/Services Offered:

Being a bank by the definition of the Corporate Law of Pakistan and being registered under that

same law, Askari Bank offers a very wide and competitive variety of services to its thousands of

customers all across Pakistan and were the pioneer in the field of Internet banking and providing

e-solutions to B2B customers facilitating the purchase of merchandise on credit terms for them.

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There are some basic divisions in the bank according to the services that are offered which include:

1 Branch Banking:

In branch banking there are a number of accounts which are offered to the general public and the

employees of Amred forces and then the choice is made on the basis of the customers individual

needs. The accounts that are offered are categorized as:

Askari Mahana Bachat Account:

This particular type of account is offered to the

individual looking for a short term investment

account. It offers investment options from 1 to 3

years and is particularly aimed at customers who

want monthly profit from their savings. It is a term

deposit account in which the money has to be placed for a certain period of time and is offered

only to Pakistani citizens. The balance requirements of this particular type of account range from

a minimum of Rs.50, 000 and can go as far as up to Rs.10, 000, 000. The payments are made at

the 1st of every month and the profit rates are 7.6% per annum for 1 year term investments and up

to 8.5% per annum o 3 year term investments.

Askari Paishgi Munafa Term Deposit:

This unique type of account is there to cater to the investment needs of individuals who need profits

right away on their medium term investments and in doing so the customer receives the entire

profit of their investment straight away at the time of placement. This account too is made strictly

for Pakistani nationals. It requires a minimum deposit of Rs.100, 000 or in multiples of 1 million

for a tenure of 15 months and the return rate on this account is 7.5% per annum while this type of

account offers the additional advantages of free VISA Debit card and no maximum limit for

investment.

Value Plus Current Account:

This particular account is a current account which although does not offer any monetary return but

offers a number of other useful options for both an individual investor as well as small businesses

or corporations for that matter. Some of the salient features of type of account for an individual

investor are free issuance of ATM/VISA Debit card and very reliable insurance coverage for all

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types of cards plus the additional facility of On-line fund transfer facility, i-Net banking facility,

duplicate account statements and issuance of cheque books meanwhile the individual has to ensure

a minimum balance of Rs.25, 000 at all times.

The same type of account also offers various advantages to businesses as well in the form of

several free facilities such as on-line fund transfer facility, issuance of cheque books, issuance of

pay orders / demand drafts and a 24/7 access to account statement through internet banking with

duplicate account statements available whenever required. The minimum level of balance for

businesses is Rs.100, 000.

Value Plus Saving Account:

This is an account for people who want medium return rates on their investment along with other

services which are included as free in the package. It offers 6% per annum with profit options for

either three or six months or one year. Other services that are provided as free with this account

are free issuance of ATM/VISA Debit Card, free global and local ATM Cash with drawl insurance

while other free services include online funds transfer facility and internet banking services to

name a few.

Investment Certificates:

Like investment certificates from any reputable institution, the investment certificates from Askari

Bank not only offer added security and the option of monthly profits but are also completely

transferable and can be transferred to any third party. These are issued for a period of three period

and the profit is paid on a monthly basis. These are issued and encashed free of cost while an

existing account is not mandatory. While there is no penalty on pre-mature encashment there is no

maximum limit on the purchase of these certificates and these can be encashed at any branch of

Askari Bank anywhere in Pakistan and they also offer great security because in case of theft or

loss there is always the option of replacement/refund to the original purchaser. The expected rates

of return for the three month in that order are 6, 6.10 and 6.25% for the life of the certificate.

Rupee Traveler Cheques:

These cheques are issued to eliminate the risk of carrying cash while travelling. These are for an

amount of Rs.10, 000 and are completely valid until encashed. These can be purchased and

encashed at any branch of Askrai Bank Limited and are enchased after the original purchaser signs

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the front of the RTC while a commission of Rs.30 is charged per RTC for holding it for 30 days

or more.

2 Corporate Banking:

In the corporate banking sector of Askari Bank Limited, the services offered are by the Corporate

banking division and by the Investment banking division.

Corporate Banking Division:

Corporate banking facilities are offered through three focused branches in Islamabad, Karachi and

Lahore and are primarily present to cater to the

needs of large corporate customers. These divisions

provide highly trained and experienced individuals

that not only look after the needs of corporate

individuals but are also constantly abreast with the

latest developments in the market and the complete

economy. A wide variety of services are offered to

the corporate customers which range from working capital facilities, term loans, letters of

guarantee and credit, bill discounting and export financing etc.

Investment Banking Division:

This division focuses on the providing financial advisory as well as capital raising services to large

institutional as well as corporate clients as well as making investments on behalf of the bank itself.

The core purpose of this division is to provide investment related information to any corporate

client which is seeking capital raising or investment information in national as well as overseas

markets. This group also offers financial solutions such as debt syndications as well as project

financing structures. It consists of 30 highly trained relationship managers with brilliant execution

experience.

3 Agriculture Banking:

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Pakistan is an agricultural economy with agro based activities going on around the country at

various levels and in different areas each with own special needs and it is purely due to this variety

that there is a tremendous opportunity available for growth in this sector.

Askari Banks Rural Business Division (ABRD) is

one such division that focuses primarily on

fulfilling the needs of agricultural and this division

has gained phenomenal success in recent history.

The products that are offered in the agricultural

banking to farmers all over the Pakistan include:

Kissan Evergreen Finance:

This is a profit earning account available only to Pakistani residents in which land is mortgaged

against the financing provided. This account benefits the farmer in both ways because if it stays

credit it earns profit for that farmer otherwise it is a source of immediate finance fulfilling the

farmers agricultural needs. A special cheque book is issued to the farmer. The tenure of account

is a yearly one and the profit on credit balances is paid on a half yearly basis. Also the markup is

charged for the actual days the finance is utilized.

Kissan Tractor Finance:

This is a profit earning account which can only be opened by a Pakistani resident for a tenure of 5

years. On account of more equity funding the farmer in this account can avail non-funded facility

at a reduced cost. A bonus is paid to the farmer as a result of their good credit history at the end of

the program if all the terms of sanction are met. Also the farmers as well as the tractor are insured

against any possible contingency in this program providing a peace of mind. Also the propriety of

the tractor will the given by the manufacturer after an agreement with the bank.

Kissan Livestock Development Plan:

This particular type of financing is made available to the farmers to help them purchase livestock

such as milk animals, goats, sheep, poultry and fisheries without having to incur additional

expenditure and the said farmer must be a Pakistani resident to avail this type of financing. This

sort of a program helps farmer earn on a daily basis to meet his own needs any pay off any

liabilities. This revives and accelerates the earning capacity of the farmer and also enhances their

repayment capacity.

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Kissan Farm Mechanization Finance:

This financing option helps farmers purchase farm machinery such as tractors, trailers, threshers,

drills and rotavators etc and to avail this financing the farmer must be a Pakistani resident. Due to

this type of financing the farmer is able to purchase modern farming machinery that is both cost

saving and also increases the per acre yield and in doing so also helps the farmer to increase the

quality of their crop to match or compete with international standards prevailing elsewhere that

helps them in the export of their agricultural products.

Kissan Abpashi Finance:

This type of financing is used to help farmers in the installation of tube wells, water channel

developments and water management equipment and the farmer must be a Pakistani citizen to avail

this type of financing. This financing helps farmers make the optimum use of the limited water

resources and overcome the scarcity of water. A lot of water is wasted in the traditional sources

and mechanized irrigation makes the optimum use of water making more area cultivable and helps

farmers tap the natural water resources through water management practices.

4 Consumer Banking:

This division mainly focuses on the auto finance,

personal finance, mortgage finance, smart cards,

Askari credit cards and Zarai credit cards etc.

Consumer banking market is rapidly growing in

Pakistan and Askari Bank Limited is targeting the

market with an aim to capture as much of it as

possible while offering new and innovative services

all the time and all of this is done while keeping a

close eye on the risk asset portfolio. The products offered under this division are:

ASK 4 CAR:

This financing can be used to finance both new and used cars with an 18% markup for the 3 year

plan, 19% for the 4 year plan and 20% for the 5 year plan. The down payment that can be made in

this financing ranges from a minimum of 15% to a maximum of 60%. Insurance is mandatory in

this financing and for used vehicles the markup rate is slightly higher with a 20% markup for the

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3 year plan and 21% for 4 year plan and for the used vehicles, they must not be older than 5 years

at the time of loan. While 800CC used vehicles are not covered in this type of financing.

Personal Finance:

These financing options are only available to

Pakistani residents at the moment and the person

applying for the loan must be at least 21 years of age

and a maximum of 61 years of age with a minimum

monthly salary of Rs.30, 000 with their employment

having at least a tenure of 1 year remaining. The

markup for secured personnel is 19% and that for unsecured personnel is 21% in which the debt

burden is a maximum of 50% of their net disposable income. This is a very easy and secure loan

option for salaried individuals who are willing to secure short term loan for relatively small

expenditures.

Mortgage Finance:

A home of ones self is a dream of any individual

and Askari Bank has made the realization of this

dream very easy with rather flexible home loans

available for individuals in urban areas of Pakistan

aged between 23-65 years of age. The bank helps in

the purchase and construction of the house as well

as renovation of old houses with balance transfer

facility also available. Houses plus apartments are covered under this particular type of financing.

VISA Debit Card:

Any individual having an account with Askari Bank Limited can have access to an Askari VISA

Debit Card which eliminates the risk of carrying large sums of money while travelling or shopping

at busy places because payments can be done via the card thus eliminating the need for carrying

cash and cash with drawls can also be made at ATMs with this type of card with a limit of Rs.50,

000 on the classic card and Rs.100, 000 on the gold card and besides that the shopping limit on the

classic card is Rs.200, 000 while it is Rs.250, 000 on the gold card and the funds transfer limit of

the classic card is Rs.250, 000 and Rs.300, 000 on the gold card.

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Askari Credit Cards:

Credit cards are issued to Pakistani residents only and to get one of these the resident must be a

salaried individual with or a supplementary income person with the minimum age limit being 21-

61 for the basic card upper limit changed to 65 for SEP/SEB while the age limit on supplementary

has a minimum of 18 and no upper limit. After this the rates and the limits change in response to

the collateral placed and a card is provided only after complete and thorough examination of all

the documents provided.

5 Islamic Banking:

Askari Bank is striving hard to satisfy customer

needs in regard to Islamic practices and needs. The

efforts in this regard are put into practice a

completely efficient banking system that not only

meets the economic justice but also the Sharia

standards. There are currently 29 branches in major

cities in Pakistan that provide only Islamic banking

solutions. The products and services that are offered

in this division are as follows:

Askari Ijarah Bis Sayyarah

This is auto financing offered by the Islamic banking division. It is a rental agreement of sorts in

which the cost of an automobile is transferred to the user under a pre-settled agreement and it is a

Sharia compliant mode of financing which is completely halal. Under this there is no insurance

from the bank and any risk to the vehicle or the owner themselves is borne by the owner. This can

only be availed by Pakistani residents between the ages of 21 to 60.

Askari Home Musharakah

This is a house financing facility offered by the Islamic banking division that enables customers

to visualize the dreams of owning a house without having to pay interests. Under this type of

financing customers can purchase, transfer, renovate or improve their houses or apartments and

under the rules of Musharakah a joint ownership is formed between the bank and the customer.

After the down payment or the share of the customer that has been paid the share of the bank is

divided in to multiples of rent which are then paid by the customer. Furthermore an existing interest

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based house financing can be converted into Islamic house financing with the guarantee of prompt

processing.

Askari Islamic Deposit Schemes:

There is an Islamic advisor at every Askari Islamic Banking branch who guides about the various

types of accounts that are present in this form of banking and the types that are available in Islamic

banking are AHSAN accounts which are savings accounts and offer profit on monthly basis which

are made with the concept of risk bearing. Then there are AHSAN Munafa accounts which offer

profit on monthly basis which is made on a daily product basis and lastly there is the AHIA

account which is primarily an investment account which offers investment certificates with

maturities ranging from monthly, quarterly, half yearly to yearly basis.

This is complete product range that is currently being offered by the Askari Bank Limited and is

competitive in every way and is the prime reason why it is the choice of thousands of customers

all over the country.

2. Learning & Experience:

Internships at university level are provided primarily to give an insight of the practical world

relevant to our field of study. By working in an organization we learn of the various ways in which

knowledge can be implemented practically and in doing so not only do we know about our true

capabilities but also experiences like these serve to broaden our knowledge base even further.

For my summer internship I applied at Askari Bank Limited for a 6 weeks internship and dropped

my application with the internee in charge at the Abbottabad branch where he explained that after

conducting short interviews the short listed applications were sent to the Peshawar head office for

selection and it was with the approval of the Area Head that any individual is allowed to do an

internship.

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2.1 Internship Duration and rationale for selection:

Besides being a requirement of CIIT Islamabad for students in their last semester to apply for

internships, the rationale for the internship besides that was to gain the maximum amount of

experience possible before going out in to the practical world and the internships one does at this

point of academic life have a significant impact later on in the early stages of the career.

Being a finance majors student, my preferred career of choice was obviously something related

to financial markets and banks provided an attractive opportunity in this regard so I applied at a

number of banks in Abbottabad and chose Askari as they were the first to reply and their

professional manner seemed a convincing proof of their excellent Human Resource group.

I did a six weeks internship from Askari Bank Limited in Abbottabad under the supervision of the

internee in charge there Mr. Shahzad Khan. I learned a lot under his kind guidance and supervision

and he made me learn and work in nearly all sections of the bank.

2.2 Department wise training

My internship started in the accounts department where I learnt about the work related to the

accounts section which is primarily doing the work of checking all the financial activity going on

in the bank and it is done on both the customers and the banks expenditure level. The daily activity

that happens on one day is matched to the reports generated by the banks central information

system on the other day and proof of the transactions in the shape of cheques, deposit drafts or

online vouchers are checked for the information that is provided in the report and then if cleared

they are saved to be inspected by all the auditors and in case there is a problem and some record

is missing, the bank staff goes to tremendous lengths to recover the missing articles and then move

the reports because besides affecting their personal performance it also has a bad effect on the

banks and the branchs overall performance in the shape of an objection from the audit team.

After that I did some work with the credit department which is basically related to processing all

the credit related work of the bank. They work on the credit process from the start to the eventual

end of any credit process and even though they work in the same building they have their own

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separate team which has nothing to do whatsoever with the normal working staff and they work

with their selected employees only. When a person applies for credit at Askari Bank Limited, the

entire credit process starts in which complete inspection of documents in done and then only are

the loans allowed to proceed with prior approval from the area head. Credit departments also deals

with issuing foreign guarantees in the form of Letters of Credit which is basically a guarantee to a

foreign bank for a local account holders in the matters of purchase of merchandise which may

range from chemicals to refurbished cars.

The third and perhaps the most vital department of any bank is the deposits department which

works at the branch level and this particular department is responsible for the trading of funds and

maintaining different accounts. Deposit department is where the accounts are opened, clients are

served and are provided with basic information about banking that ranges from simple information

like opening an account to investing in the various investment opportunities that a bank provides.

Last department where I worked was the bills and remittances department which is assigned with

the task of handling interbank and intercity transactions. Intercity transactions in a bank are done

with the help of an online statement which is used for on-net transactions as each bank branch in

Pakistan has a unique code so if money is to be sent to any branch then it is sent to that particular

branch via the central management system which in Askari Bank is known as FlexCube. In case

of interbank transactions, the money is transferred with the help of cheques which are sorted out

by the various sorting houses State Bank has opened in different cities of Pakistan to facilitate and

quicken this process. These collect all interbank transaction items from different banks and supply

them to the desired destination.

From my observation of the staff that was working at Askari Bank, I concluded that the staff

working there was highly motivated and trained in their jobs and had the capacity to manage nearly

every contingency that arose during the tenure of my internship. Proper testing and standards are

used at the time of hiring and courtesy to those the workforce that results is a skilled and motivated

one and the rather high remuneration policy of the bank also ensures that the staff stays motivated

not letting loose at any moment. Secondly, the managers take keen interest in even the slightest

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details of the activities going around in the bank and visit everybody on nearly daily basis and

inquire them about their work which I believe insures quality and motivation.

2.3 SWOT Analysis of Askari Bank

Every organization has several weaknesses and strengths and in light of those it faces certain

opportunities and threats. The banking sector in Pakistan is a massively competitive one with

competitors offering new and improved services with every passing day and to survive in such a

situation, a bank has to ensure top notch quality and innovation at all times in order to catch and

retain customers.

The SWOT Analysis is a management tool used to determine the strengths and weaknesses of an

organization which are a part of internal environment as well as analyze the opportunities and

threats it faces which are a part of its external environment.

Strengths

One of the leading banks in the industry:

Askari Bank Limited is one of the leading banks in the industry with a net worth that easily places

it in the top five and annual profits that ensure good return for the investors and all the stakeholders

in general and it also has a high number of online branches in Pakistan thus offering more

convenience to its customers.

Automated operations:

The policies and guidelines in the bank are very clear and strict with regard to the operations and

the manner in which they should be performed and majority of the operations that are occurring at

the moment are done electronically with the help of the new computerized management system.

Large ATM Network:

Askari Bank Limited has one of the largest ATM networks in the country and records show that it

is very rare that an ATM at Askari Bank suffers from a problem like a down link or out of cash

because prompt management by the managers ensures that such lapses do not occur in the first

place. This is also a source of revenue for Askari Bank as clients of other bank use ATMs of

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Askari Bank due to their superior quality and strategic positioning thus becoming a source of

revenue.

Tailored solutions:

The management at Askari Bank believes in the customer and not so much in the product and are

always more than willing to alter or tailor their products to suit the needs of the customer because

at the end of the day a happy customer is all that matters.

Priority Banking:

A high level of priority and importance is given to large or corporate clients with a separate

manager always there to address any concern of theirs in rather lavish surroundings thus giving a

feel of high banking standard and environment.

Ethical concerns and public image:

Askari Bank shows deep ethical concerns and makes sure as to negate any feeling of hatred both

Inside and outside the organization.

Weaknesses:

Lack of technical training:

Although the staff in charge of handling technical operations is highly trained, technical knowhow

in lower levels is still not that much, the bank needs to make arrangements in order to promote this

in the lower levels.

Manual records:

Despite having a state of the art computerized management system the staff still relies on

traditional hand written book keeping along with electronic entries with the excuse that electronic

systems are not always reliable and this activity of theirs wastes time.

High degree of centralization:

Askari Bank Limited has a very high degree of centralization in it with the lower staff having to

ask the permission from the higher ups in every matter and can do nothing to resolve the problem

of a client on urgent basis and another problem due to this level of centralization is that it makes

two way communication very difficult.

Lack of training facilities:

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For the new recruits there is no specific training program or facility and most of them are straight

away sent to the branches where they learn about the operations by actually doing them which

sounds fine on paper but in reality it amounts for a lot of errors which cost customers plus they

take a lot of time to pick the normal pace of work.

Opportunities

Islamic banking:

Islamic banking is a rising field in the Pakistani banking industry with nearly all the banks

competing in this section and Askari has only a few branches to cater those needs so they first of

all need to step up their attention in the Islamic banking sector.

Customer deposits:

With the customer base increasing at a steady rate the deposits are also slowly climbing so there

is a good chance for investment by the bank because some of their customers like those from the

Armed forces are guaranteed and are a source of huge deposit base.

Rural Areas:

Rural areas present a golden opportunity for any bank in Pakistan because development is taking

place at a high rate and soon the areas which were once neglected will present golden business

opportunities.

Technological upgrades:

Even though it is a costly fixed expenditure still a lot of banks are moving towards technological

upgrades and for a bank with this large a customer base technological upgrades can only be but

profitable.

Threats

High turnover:

Turnover is a little high in Askari Bank and in my understanding it is not due to the remuneration

policies but the high level of centralization which provides little or no space for the self-motivated

personnel. As soon as they get a better opportunity, they switch.

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High commissions:

The commissions and charges by the bank for some of the facilities are alarmingly high this is a

very serious situation for the bank as those customers can be snatched by the other banks then.

Lower rates of return:

The rates of return offered by Askari Bank are not that high and as a result they have a hard time

convincing customers to invest in the bank primarily due to this reason.

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2.4 Recommendations:

The recommendations that I would give to Askari Bank Limited as a result of my observation

during my stay of 8 weeks are that:

They should seriously consider about training both their senior and junior management in

order to make them more up to date.

Decentralization is a must for them at this stage because not only is it killing potential it is

also resulting in unsatisfied customers.

Technical training should be provided to all the existing staff and proper testing should be

done afterwards with the testing weightage in the final appraisal.

Proper training of a global standard should be provided for the new recruits in order to keep

them abreast with the latest developments in the industry.

A more corporate atmosphere should be promoted throughout the bank cutting the old

status quo currently existing.

Competitive return rates would have to offered, the bank may try cutting expenses, revising

policies or anything of the sort but higher returns would have to be offered by the bank to

win more clients.

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3. Conclusion:

My purpose of internship apart from being a degree requirement was to gain practical knowledge

and knowhow about the job market and it has been an experience full of learning and knowledge.

It provided me with ample guidance and experience about the banking sector which I consider to

be a possible career choice for myself. It also served to mold me in a more professional and mature

person then I was before. The choice of the organization could have been better I think in my mind

now but it was nonetheless a pleasant experience and an experience I would certainly want to be a

part of again.

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4. References:

1, Official website of Askari Bank Limited.

www.askaribank.com.pk

2, Wikipedia

www.wikipedia.com

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5. Personal Resume:

RAHATULLAH MALLICK

House # 342 Upper Malikpura, Abbottabad

D.O.B May 15th 1990

Mobile 03349141809

E-mail [email protected]

Objective: To excel in a dynamic environment as a finance manager where my previous studies

and attained skills will compliment my work. I would like to give my best to the organization in

which I work by realizing its goals.

Education:

2009-Present: Bachelor of Sciences in Business Administration BS (BA)

COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad

2007-2009: Intermediate FSc.

Pakistan International Public School & College for boys, Abbottabad

2005-2007: O Levels (GSCE)

Pakistan International Public School & College for boys, Abbottabad

Achievements:

CGPA 3.25

Secured scholarship in the first two semesters of BS (BA)

House Prefect in college

Skills:

Excellent typing and MS Office skills

Firm command over English Language

Leadership skills

Analytical Hierarchy Process

References:

Can be provided if requested.