January 12, 2007	Friday	Zilhaj 21, 1427

KARACHI, Jan 11: The First Data International, a leader in electronic commerce and payment services around the world, has signed a card-processing agreement with the Bank Alfalah on Thursday.

Being the largest credit card issuer, the Bank Alfalah will get the services of the First Data to further build its market.

Bank officials said under the five-year agreement, the First Data would provide credit card and acquirer processing services to the Bank Alfalah, to support the bank’s current 325,000 card accounts and 17,000 merchants in Pakistan.

Additionally, the First Data will support Alfalah’s international growth as the bank plans to extend its business across South-West Asia over the next few years. Client services support will be provided from the First Data’s offices in Dubai.