April 04, 2008	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 26, 1429

BAHAWALPUR, April 3: All branches of the MCB Bank across the country will be online by the end of current year.

This was stated by MCB Bank President Atif Bajwa while addressing the members of the Bahawalpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry at a luncheon arranged by the BCCI here on Thursday.

He said that his bank had already converted several branches into online operational branches. The work to link others with this modern technology was in progress and it was expected that the remaining branches could be linked with the latest IT facility before the end of the current year to facilitate the bank customers, he added.

He said that the number of ATMs was being increased in various cities and it was being ensured that the banking service was improved with entire satisfaction of the customers.

BCCI President Dr Rana Muhammed Tariq in his address of welcome regretted that although the defunct Bahawalpur State was producing the bulk share of 34 per cent cotton and 20 per cent wheat of the whole of Pakistan yet the area lacked heavy industry including any textile mill, which resulted in the unemployment of local youths.

He said there was an urgent need that the commercial banks and other financial institutions should come forward to provide loans on priority to the financially sound capitalists interested to establish heavy industries.