Askari Bank Limited reported a strong financial performance for the first half of the year ended June 30, 2026, recording a twenty-five percent surge in post-tax earnings. Net profit for the six-month period climbed to thirteen point three five billion rupees compared to ten point seven zero billion rupees logged during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. Driven by this bottom-line performance, earnings per share rose to nine point two one rupees from seven point three eight rupees reported in the prior period.
The bank achieved solid top-line momentum as total income expanded by nearly fifteen percent year-on-year to reach fifty-seven point zero five billion rupees against forty-nine point six six billion rupees previously. Core banking operations remained steady, with total mark-up and interest earned growing over six percent to touch one hundred fifty-eight billion rupees. Mark-up expenses rose at a slightly faster pace of seven point four percent to reach one hundred thirteen point nine four billion rupees, resulting in a modest three point four percent expansion in net interest income to forty-four point zero six billion rupees.
The dominant growth driver during the six-month period proved to be an exceptional surge in non-markup income, which expanded by eighty-five percent to reach twelve point nine eight billion rupees compared to seven point zero three billion rupees last year. This non-interest expansion was catalyzed by a near-fourfold jump in capital gains on securities, which reached three point six four billion rupees. Additionally, foreign exchange income grew seventy-eight percent to three point one three billion rupees, while fee and commission revenues advanced forty-six percent to five point two two billion rupees. Dividend yields also posted healthy gains, expanding sixty-three percent to six hundred seventy-six million rupees.
On the expenditure front, non-markup expenses expanded by forty percent to reach twenty-nine point five three billion rupees, driven primarily by an increase in core operating costs which totaled twenty-nine point one nine billion rupees. Despite higher administrative outlays, pre-tax performance received support from a significant shift in credit loss provisions. The credit loss allowance line reversed from a charge of six hundred thirty-six million rupees in the previous period to a net reversal of six hundred twenty-two million rupees, lifting profit before taxation marginally to twenty-eight point one four billion rupees.
A primary catalyst translating this steady pre-tax performance into a substantial net profit surge was a reduced tax burden for the institution. Total tax expenses fell by nearly fourteen percent to fourteen point seven nine billion rupees compared to seventeen point one nine billion rupees recorded in the same period last year. Following these financial results, the Board of Directors approved an interim cash dividend of two rupees per share, or twenty percent, for the half-year. This distribution accompanies an earlier interim payout of two rupees per share, bringing the total cash dividend declared for the first half of the year to four rupees per share.
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