Bank account holders in Punjab have filed the highest number of complaints (62.9 percent) with the Banking Mohtasib office against the commercial banks in Punjab during 2021. Overall, the highest number of complaints (8763) were registered against Habib Bank Limited (HBL).
The annual report of 2021 recently issued by the Banking Mohtasib office revealed that the Banking Ombudsman received a total of 62.9 percent complaints (23,510) against the banks located in Punjab during 2021.
The institution of Banking Mohtasib Pakistan receives complaints against commercial banks with branches spread all over the country.
More data revealed that out of the total region-wise 37,364 complaints filed against the banks, 23.2 percent complaints (8676) were filed against the banks in Sindh province. Out of total complaints filed in 2021, 9.2 percent complaints (3449) were filed against the banks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 2.2 percent complaints (821) against banks located abroad (overseas banks), 1.6 percent (596 complaints) Balochistan, 0.7 percent (246 complaints) Azad Kashmir, and 0.2 percent complaints (66) against the banks located in Gilgit Baltistan.
| Bank | Complaints |
| AlBaraka Bank (Pakistan) Limited | 97 |
| Allied Bank Limited | 1696 |
| Askari Bank Limited | 574 |
| Bank AL Habib Limited | 587 |
| Bank Alfalah Limited | 2130 |
| The Bank of Khyber | 160 |
| The Bank of Punjab | 1180 |
| BankIslami Pakistan Limited | 307 |
| Citibank | 8 |
| Dubai Islamic Bank Pakistan Limited | 239 |
| Faysal Bank Limited | 1433 |
| First Women Bank Limited | 13 |
| Habib Bank Limited | 8763 |
| Habib Metropolitan Bank Limited | 244 |
| JS Bank Limited | 779 |
| Meezan Bank Limited | 1489 |
| MCB Bank Limited | 3360 |
| MCB Islamic Bank | 90 |
| National Bank of Pakistan | 991 |
| PPCBL | 39 |
| Samba Bank Limited | 49 |
| Sindh Bank Limited | 125 |
| Silkbank Limited | 1184 |
| SME Bank Limited | 4 |
| Soneri Bank Limited | 209 |
| Standard Chartered Bank (Pakistan) Ltd | 698 |
| Summit Bank Limited | 94 |
| United Bank Limited | 4971 |
| Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd. | 31 |
| Other Banks | 1574 |
An increase of 46 percent was observed in the receipt of complaints during the year 2021, as compared to the previous year. Efforts made to dispose of the complaints expeditiously succeeded in maintaining the regular pace of disposing of the complaints even while observing COVID-19 prescribed SOPs. However, depending on the complexity, some complaints take a longer time to resolve, the report said.
The law under which the institution has been established provides that the Banking Mohtasib Pakistan shall facilitate the amicable resolutions of complaints. However, in certain situations, a tripartite across-the-table dialogue or a formal hearing is required to provide an opportunity for both the parties to present their view point face to face after which appropriate findings are forwarded to the concerned parties for implementation.
During the period under review, 33,196 new complaints were received while 4,168 complaints were carried forward. Thus, making total complaints in hands was 37,364, out of which 25,231 complaints were resolved amicably through reconciliation while after formal hearings, findings/orders were passed in 437 cases. 6,924 complaints were found incomplete and required further information or were rejected for being frivolous and for want of jurisdiction as the same either pertained to insurance or related to microfinance banks or fund managers were related to administrative issues of banks.
Prime Minister’s Portal (Government-owned system based on Mobile Application) was introduced in the year 2019 and complaints related to the banking sector were received at BMP Secretariat. During the year under review, 18,762 complaints were received through Prime Minister’s Portal, the report added.
