I AM a government servant holding a salary account in a commercial bank’s Mall Road branch in Khairpur. I recently went to my bank to receive my cheque book for which I had applied a fortnight in advance. I was observing fast and, as I had little money left in the pocket, I could not afford a rickshaw to reach the bank.

I, therefore, went to the bank walking three kilometres in order to receive my cheque book so that I may withdraw my salary and purchase food items for my family. Once there, I asked a bank official about the cheque book. He checked the record and told me that it had arrived and I should visit the relevant official to receive it.

The relevant official asked me to wait for a minute. I waited for well over an hour there during which I went to his desk several times, but he either talked about the necessity of people ‘helping’ each other out, or behaved in a rude, arrogant and offensive manner. Finally, he told me the cheque book had not arrived at all. I went to the branch manager, but he did pretty much the same thing.

I came back home empty-handed walking while fasting in oppressive heat. I complained about the behaviour of the two officials on the bank’s helpline and was given a complaint number. Three days later, I visited the branch again and faced the same attitude. In addition to everything that had happened on the first visit, this time I was told by the official to lodge as many complaints as I could. Once again I returned home walking while fasting.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) should look into the misconduct of officials involved in such dishonest and unprofessional behaviour.

Since they had the audacity to tell me, a customer, that complaints could not make them accountable, it is now up to the SBP to prove them wrong. Else, people will be left with no option but to believe that the officials were right; complaints actually cannot hold them accountable.

Gul Bahar Tanwari
Khairpur Mirs

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2023