This document provides background information on Allied Bank Limited (ABL) in Pakistan. It discusses the early development of banking in Pakistan after independence, with very few branches and most resources controlled by non-Muslim bankers who left for India. The State Bank of Pakistan was established in 1948 as the central bank. ABL was the first Muslim bank established in the territory of Pakistan in 1942. The document outlines the objectives and methodology of a study conducted on ABL's operations and performance. It discusses the importance of banks in mobilizing savings and providing finance to drive economic growth. It also briefly traces the history of banking from merchants and goldsmiths to the establishment of modern commercial banks in Pakistan.