PESHAWAR: Scores of automated teller machines in the provincial capital on Friday became inoperative stressing out the people.

Mostly among the upset lot were employees of private and government organisations as well as pensioners, who had turned to ATMs to draw money from their bank accounts after the transfer of salary and pension in the day.

They later went to their respective banks causing delayed payments.

Most of them needed money to go shopping for Eid, which is five days away subject to the sighting of moon for the start of the next month of Islamic calendar.

The screens of a large number of ATMs displayed the message, ‘sorry, service has been disconnected temporarily. Please visit the nearest ATM.’

Visitors stressed out,say they need money for Eid shopping

Though there is a likelihood of the central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee and a privately-run such panel from Peshawar fighting about the sighting of moon for the imminent Eid, the people are thronging bazaars and commercial centres in the city.

Mohammad Nabi complained he had visited four ATMs in Saddar and University Road areas but they all were out of order.

“We get debit cards for use in emergency but they turn out to be useless, especially during on festive occasions like Eid, due to faulty ATMs. I’m really disappointed in banks and their regulators,” he said.

Rizwan Khan, a resident of Peshawar’s suburbs, said he had come to the town for Eid shopping and wanted to use ATM card, but to no avail.

“I’ve sufficient money in my bank account but the ATMs I’ve used so far returned the debit card with the screen displaying the message i.e. your account is empty. I don’t know what to do now,” he said.

A government employee said he had gone to his bank on Thursday but returned without getting salary due to rush.

He said he drew salary from his account on Friday after a wait of two hours for his turn.

However, banks have blamed the frequent power outages for faulty ATMs.

A banker said all banks strictly followed the instructions of the State Bank of Pakistan to keep ATMs running ahead of and during Eid but the excessive loadshedding was causing machines to become inoperative.

“The ATMs of almost all banks have the same problem. These machines could keep operating if electricity is supplied to them by heavy duty generators in case of power outages,” he said.

The banker said customers could approach their respective banks through help lines to complain about faulty ATMs.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2014