Complaints against banks surge 26% as Banking Mohtasib urges customers to stay alert against fraud and impersonation scams
KARACHI: The Banking Mohtasib Pakistan (BMP) granted monetary relief of Rs762.76 million to banking customers during the first half (January–June) of 2026 by resolving 18,482 complaints against commercial banks, underscoring its continued role in protecting consumer rights and promoting fair banking practices.
According to a statement issued on Monday, the Banking Mohtasib also recorded a sharp increase in complaints during the six-month period. Between January 1 and June 30, 2026, the office received 21,392 new complaints, including 4,005 submitted through the Prime Minister’s Portal.
The number of complaints represented an increase of around 26.5% compared with 16,915 complaints received during the corresponding period of 2025, reflecting growing public awareness of the Banking Mohtasib’s grievance redressal mechanism as well as a rise in banking-related disputes.
The Banking Mohtasib said the timely resolution of complaints resulted in financial relief amounting to Rs762.76 million for aggrieved banking customers, reinforcing public confidence in the country’s banking dispute resolution framework.
Banking Mohtasib Pakistan Sirajuddin Aziz urged customers to remain vigilant against the increasing incidence of banking fraud and forgery targeting account holders.
He advised customers never to disclose their personal, banking or financial credentials to any third party under any circumstances, warning that fraudsters frequently impersonate bank officials to obtain sensitive information.
He further advised customers receiving suspicious or unsolicited calls to immediately contact the nearest branch of their bank or use the bank’s official helpline to verify the authenticity of the communication before sharing any information.
Sirajuddin Aziz also highlighted an important security measure, noting that banks’ call centres do not make outbound calls from their official Universal Access Number (UAN). Customers should therefore avoid responding to calls that appear to originate from a bank’s official helpline number, as such calls are likely to be fraudulent.
He stressed that greater customer awareness and vigilance are essential to preventing financial fraud, adding that prompt reporting of suspicious activity enables banks to take timely action to protect customers’ accounts and funds.
The Banking Mohtasib Pakistan continues to play a vital role in resolving disputes between banks and their customers, while strengthening transparency, accountability and confidence in Pakistan’s banking sector.