1LINK (Pvt) Limited, Pakistan’s first fully licensed and designated Payment System Operator (PSO), has constituted its new Board of Directors for the 2026-2028 term. The company held the first Board meeting of its new Board on Friday, July 31, 2026, in Karachi, marking the beginning of a new tenure for the payment infrastructure company. The new Board is chaired by Mr. Atif Bajwa, President and CEO of Bank Alfalah Limited, while the other members include senior executives and representatives from some of Pakistan’s major financial institutions, along with independent directors. The formation of the new Board marks a new phase for 1LINK as it continues to play a central role in the country’s payments infrastructure and digital financial ecosystem.
The newly constituted Board includes Mr. Nassir Salim, President and CEO of Habib Bank Limited, as a Nominee Director; Mr. Yousaf Hussain, President and CEO of Faysal Bank Limited, as a Nominee Director; Mr. Mujahid Ali, Chief Technology and Digital Transformation Officer at Allied Bank Limited, as a Nominee Director; Mr. Abdul Wahid Sheikh, Chief Financial Officer at National Bank of Pakistan, as a Nominee Director; and Mr. Ali Naqvi, Chief Digital Officer at Askari Bank Limited, as a Nominee Director. The Board also includes Ms. Amna Masood, Global Industry GM for Banking and Financial Services at Systems Limited, as an Independent Director, and Ms. Tania Aidrus, CEO of Waseela Global, as an Independent Director. One additional Independent Director position is to be decided, while Mr. Najeeb Agrawala, CEO of 1LINK, is also part of the new Board. The composition brings together expertise from banking, technology, digital transformation, financial services and corporate leadership.
During its first meeting, the new Board marked the commencement of its tenure and discussed matters related to the company’s strategic direction and institutional development. According to 1LINK, the Board deliberated on setting the foundation for the company’s next phase of growth and continued contribution to Pakistan’s evolving digital payments infrastructure. The company operates a nationwide payment infrastructure connecting banks, financial institutions, billers, aggregators and affiliates, supporting a wide range of electronic payment services. As Pakistan continues to move toward greater adoption of digital transactions, the role of payment infrastructure providers such as 1LINK remains closely connected to the development of the country’s banking and financial technology ecosystem.
Following the Board meeting, 1LINK hosted a special town hall that provided more than 450 employees with an opportunity to meet the new Board. During the session, Atif Bajwa, Chairman of the Board, addressed employees and shared the Board’s collective vision for 1LINK’s future. His remarks emphasized leadership, collaboration, innovation and the role of employees in contributing to the company’s continued success. The town hall provided an opportunity for the newly constituted Board and employees to engage directly as the company begins its new Board tenure. Mr. Najeeb Agrawala also welcomed the new Board and congratulated the directors on the commencement of their tenure, while expressing confidence in the Board’s strategic guidance as 1LINK continues to support Pakistan’s national payments infrastructure and wider financial technology ecosystem.
1LINK is owned by a consortium of 11 banks and operates as Pakistan’s first fully licensed and designated PSO. The company’s payment infrastructure connects more than 5,000 bank branches, customers, billers, aggregators and affiliates, supporting electronic payment services across the country. The organization has also been involved in initiatives related to Pakistan’s transition toward cashless payments and the expansion of digital transaction channels. With the new Board now beginning its 2026-2028 tenure, 1LINK is entering its next phase with leadership representation from major banking institutions, technology and financial services organizations, as well as independent directors. The new Board is expected to guide the company’s strategic direction as Pakistan’s payments ecosystem continues to develop and digital transactions become increasingly important to the country’s financial sector.
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