Public confidence in Pakistan’s banking sector relies not just on secure transactions, but on professional conduct and effective complaint resolution. When banks fail internally, the consequences extend beyond individual customers, affecting trust in the entire system.
Recently, charges were wrongly deducted from a salary-linked account due to incorrect internal transaction narration, preventing an account-specific waiver from applying. Despite repeated follow-ups, phone confirmations from bank staff and escalation through official channels, the matter remained unresolved for months. Generic responses failed to address the internal process failures that caused the issue.
Equally concerning is the handling of complaints. Customers report being redirected between branches and call centres, with follow-ups sometimes conducted in an aggressive or intimidating tone. Such conduct undermines both customer confidence and the credibility of the banking system.
For security reasons, operational details cannot be disclosed, but the principle is clear: internal errors must be acknowledged and corrected, not deflected. Accountability is not confrontation; admitting and rectifying mistakes strengthens institutional credibility.
Repeated failures in complaint management pose broader risks to public trust and the financial sector’s stability. Banks must improve internal controls, ensure respectful customer interactions and provide fact-based resolutions rather than symbolic responses.
Institutions gain lasting respect not by denying mistakes, but by owning them and correcting them responsibly. Ensuring robust complaint-handling is essential not only for individual customers but for the integrity of Pakistan’s financial system.
Suhail Ahmed
Lahore
