| House of Habib | |
| Type: | Private |
| Foundation: | 1841 |
| Founder: | Habib Esmail[1] |
| Location: | Karachi, Pakistan |
| Num Employees: | 12,000 [2] |
| Revenue: | [3] |
| Assets: | [4] |
The House of Habib is a Pakistani conglomerate company based in Karachi, Pakistan. The group was originally founded by Habib Esmail in Bombay (British India) in 1841.
It holds a significant position as a prominent Shia Muslim business family in Pakistan.[5] [6]
The roots of the company trace back to the 19th century when it commenced as Khoja Mithabhai Nathoo in 1841 in Bombay, operating as a family business. In 1891, a family member named Habib Esmail played a pivotal role in the company's expansion. Subsequently, the company evolved into a major trading firm. In 1921, his four sons joined the business, and Habib & Sons was established, which eventually transformed into today's HBL Pakistan or Habib Bank Limited.[7]
The House of Habib occupies a significant place in Pakistan's early history. Habib Bank was relocated to Pakistan at the personal request of its first Governor General Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Mohammad Ali Habib extended assistance to the fledgling state "even before the Government of Pakistan was ready to issue appropriate government paper". He provided a Rs. 80 million loan when the Reserve Bank of India failed to release Pakistan's share of Rs. 900 million. It's reported that Mohammad Ali Habib presented a blank cheque from Lloyds Bank to Governor General Jinnah, who then filled in Rs. 80 million.[8] [9]
As early as 1912, the Habib family established offices in Vienna and Geneva. In 1921, Habib and Sons was incorporated, specializing in brass, metal scraps, and gold, bearing the embossed Lion of Ali and Zulfiqar. This emblem remained the insignia of Habib Bank for a significant duration of its history.[10] The Rafiq Habib family oversees the House of Habib, distinct from the Dawood Habib family, which operates the Dawood Habib Group of Companies.
The conglomerate encompasses the following companies: