MY mother deposited Rs100,000 in the National Bank of Pakistan, Khairpur branch, under MIS scheme in 1996, and she died the same year. As I was a child then and legally minor, I was unable to claim any economic benefit that belonged to my mother. My father informed the bank that my mother had passed away and asked the bank in writing to mark ‘deceased’ against my mother’s profile.

First, according to the law, if the depositor dies before the maturity of the fixed deposit, the bank is liable to give the markup rate according to the contracted rate.

Second, if the amount of money is not claimed by the depositor or by the legal heirs after the maturity of the deposit, the money is to be rolled over for another period and mark-up at contracted rates should be given until the money is claimed. Thirdly, the policy information should be communicated to the customer, legal heirs or anyone related to the customer according to the Banking Companies Ordinance 1962 and the State Bank of Pakistan’s instruction.

Alas, the bank is unable to understand the simple fact that the application of law varies from person to person. Thus the law pertaining to the living and the dead is different and is to be dealt with differently.

According stipulated laws relating to deceased depositors, the bank is liable to pay about Rs1.4 million, but it is prevaricating and feigning to apply the law of a living person to a deceased account-holder and deprive us of Rs1.4 million, the hard-earned money of my mother.

The NBP’s Khairpur branch has erred and is now seeking shelter against my claim by saying that the bank has no record as it was set on fire by a mob in 2007. Contrarily, I have records -- some logical and rational proofs -- and want justice based on the law. If any authority feels like guiding me, I will be grateful.

Sindhia Preet
Khairpur Mirs