KARACHI: Islamic Finance Award (IFA) 2015 recognised Standard Chartered Saadiq for the Best Islamic Consumer Banker of the year 2015 and Islamic Corporate Relationship Manager of the year 2015.

Ali Allawala, Head of Islamic Banking, Retail Clients won the award for Best Islamic Consumer Banker of the year 2015, while Ahsan Manzoor, Relationship Manager, won the award for Best Corporate Relationship Manager of the year 2015.

The Islamic Finance Awards 2015 (IFA 2015) was being organised for the first time in Pakistan to recognise individuals and institutions that have made significant contributions to the Islamic banking and finance industry. The bank was competing with some of the largest local players in the banking industry.

The IFA Awards look at the best financial Islamic services firms in the country and recognise the top foreign and local institutions. The impartiality and independence was further enhanced by directly involving committee members consisting of high profile Shariah scholars, Islamic finance professionals and industry practitioners, in deciding and finalising the winners in each category.

Commenting on this recognition, Azhar Aslam, Head of Islamic Banking, Standard Chartered Pakistan has said, “I congratulate Ali and Ahsan for this achievement. Islamic banking has been growing faster than conventional banking owing to the rising client demand, wide product offerings, and strong government support. Independent recognition by Islamic Finance Award is a testament of successful execution of our strategy and commitment to our clients.”

Standard Chartered was the first international bank to get an Islamic banking license in 2004 and to open the first Islamic banking branch in Pakistan.—PR