BANKING COMPLAINANTS, ALL WRONG

A reader Dr. Ali Akbar Dhakan Karachi (DAWN 29 October 2007) commenting on today’s banking says that during the last few years the banks headed by executives drawing fabulous perquisites almost millions, unheard of in this part of the world, are allowed to charge and treat the customer at their whims. He was commenting on an earlier complaint from a reader Muneeb Mobin alleging how Askari Bank charged late fees on his credit card for no fault of his but of the bank itself or of courier in late delivery of bills. I do not believe in our banking industry today there are any complaints, any ill treatment of customers, any undisclosed levies etc as there exists today a banking mohtasib. One ombudsman a few years back stated that bureaucracy today while coming to office thinks twice that there existed now an ombudsman hence whole working day it remains afraid of people might approach the Ombudsman. I do not believe both Dr. Ali Akbar and Muneeb as all problems to the ordinary man not merely of banking related but all types may it be relating to tax or utility bills, sewerage have almost all been eliminated from our beloved Pakistan. Mr. A.H. Maker of helpline Trust has the other day stated despite presence of monitoring agencies like SBP, Banking Mohtasib difficulties of consumer are increasing. If Dr. Ali, Mr. Muneeb and Mr. Maker do not trust me they may read one or two years last Annual Reports of all our Ombudsmen, then these surely will feel to check themselves with some medical expert for their own delusions.

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