To boost my import-export business, City Textiles (Pvt) Ltd, Lahore, I went into tent-manufacturing in 1991 because circumstances seemed to require it. Tents are needed mainly in disaster relief, as well as in war zones for soldiers and refugees alike. We are now one of the largest tent manufacturers in Pakistan. We have offices in the US, Kuwait, Dubai and Saudi Arabia.

I first approached the FWBL in 1992 where we met Ms Zarine Aziz, who showed us the advantages of availing of the credit facility from the branch she was managing then. But being a man, I was not eligible unless my wife was an equal partner - that meant owning half the company. So overnight she became an actual owner too.

Zehra Ashraf says:
FWBL has played a very important role for us because no business can sustain or operate successfully without financial support especially with regard to foreign exchange. FWBL's decision-making has always been prompt and quick. As for the future, we are planning to diversify and branch into consumer goods. It so happens that the machinery and facilities used for tent manufacture can also produce items such as towels and denim. That way we'll use our excess production capacity. By maximising utilisation of our capacity, we'll also be diversifying risk.