THE Bank of Punjab, a commercial entity in the public sector, has been aggressively imposing illegal annual fee and hidden charges on credit cards that consumers have never even activated. I had paid the initial upfront amount for card genera- tion. However, despite the card having remained completely unactivated and unused, the bank has programmed its system to levy charges across the board. It defies basic legal logic and all State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) regulations to force citizens to pay for credits they have never borrowed, used or consented to.

When I repeatedly contacted the bank helpline to block the card, the represen-tatives engaged in outright lies, claiming the card was “blocked”, deliberately hiding whether it was a temporary suspension or a permanent termination. This misleading tactic ensures the billing cycle never stops.

To add to this administrative nightmare, every attempt to email a grievance to their official address is met with a bounce-back error, stating that the complaint mailbox “is full, please try again later”.

A commercial bank cannot block its consumer complaint channels while simultaneously demanding payment for services never rendered.

The SSBP, the Banking Mohtasib and all other relevant offices should take immediate notice of the matter and protect citizens from institutional malpractices.

Aazram Mehreen
Gujranwala

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2026