The Efficiency of Credit Portfolio Management in Pakistan’s Banking Sector

Abstract

This study highlights the differences in performance of commercial banks operating in Pakistan in the context of credit portfolio management. Specifically, we look at their credit allocation policies and outcomes in the shape of nonperforming loans (NPLs). We categorize a sample of 34 banks into four major groups: public, private, Islamic and foreign banks. The study tests several hypotheses related to the overall efficiency of banks’ credit portfolio management over time as well as the drivers of NPLs and priority sectors for lending across these four categories. The findings broadly suggest that public banks tend to suffer most from NPLs, whereas Islamic and foreign banks manage their portfolios more efficiently. NPLs are highest in the priority lending sectors across all types of banks, which underscores the inefficiency of managerial decision-making when managing credit portfolios. Over time, at an aggregate level, all four types of banks have become less efficient, as reflected by the increase in NPLs as a percentage of gross credit and assets.