May 9, 2006	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 10, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, May 8: The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to simplify procedure for making payments of utility bills at commercial banks and arrange drinking water and sheds for consumers near collection counters.

Consumers should be respected as they contributed to the economy of the country, Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry observed while hearing a suo motu matter regarding humiliating treatment meted out to people when they go to commercial banks to pay utility bills.

Expressing dissatisfaction over a report submitted on behalf of the SBP regarding measures taken to facilitate depositors, a three-judge bench advised the SBP to authorise all the 39 scheduled banks to collect bills. Petrol pumps and the national saving centres could be involved to extend this facility, the bench observed.

Governor SBP Shamshad Akhtar was directed to convene a meeting of secretaries of all civic agencies to explore ways of simplifying the procedure.

The report submitted by the SBP to the bench says that 22.7 million bills are collected every month by 8,746 branches of different banks and post offices in the country. The SBP has called a meeting of the presidents of eight banks authorised to collect utility bills. Besides, the chairman of Pakistan Banks Association has advised the banks to conduct a study for providing computer facility/cash register machine at each collection counter. A study would also be carried out on payment of bills through electronic media, e-mail and telephone, the report adds.

It says that banks have been asked to place boxes in front of branches at prominent places to enable consumers make payment through cheques.