How to Complain About Your Bank to the Banking Mohtasib
The Banking Mohtasib is free and returned Rs 1.46 billion to customers. But you must write to your bank first and wait 45 days.
If your bank has taken money it should not have, refused a refund, mishandled a fraud, or simply stopped replying, there is a free office that can order it to put things right.
The Banking Mohtasib says it returned Rs 1.46 billion to banking customers up to 30 October 2025. It costs nothing to use.
But there is one sentence you have to write first, and getting it wrong sends you back to the beginning.
The sentence that starts your clock
You cannot go to the Banking Mohtasib first. You have to complain to your bank in writing, and that letter must say something specific:
that you intend to refer the grievance to the Banking Mohtasib if the matter is not resolved to your satisfaction.
That line does two things. It puts the bank on formal notice, and it starts the 45 day period the bank has to answer you.
Complain by phone and you have no proof and no clock. Write, keep a copy, and get a complaint reference number from the branch if you can.
Then wait 45 days
The bank has a maximum of 45 days to respond.
If it does not reply at all in that time, or if it replies and the answer does not satisfy you, you may then file with the Banking Mohtasib on the prescribed complaint form.
The step that surprises people
The complaint form has to be completely filled in, signed by you, and attested by an Oath Commissioner.
That is not something you can do at home or online. An Oath Commissioner is found at district courts and through many lawyers' offices, and the attestation is inexpensive. Budget an hour for it rather than discovering it on the day you planned to submit.
What to attach
| Document | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Your letter to the bank | The one containing the notice sentence |
| The bank's reply | Or evidence that 45 days passed with no reply |
| All related correspondence | Emails, letters, reference numbers, app screenshots |
| Attested photocopy of your CNIC | Identity |
| The completed form | Signed and attested by an Oath Commissioner |
Complaints can also be lodged online through the Banking Mohtasib's own portal. The secretariat is on the 5th floor of Shaheen Complex, M R Kiyani Road, Karachi.
What it is good for
The typical cases are the ones people assume they simply have to absorb:
- Unauthorised deductions and charges you never agreed to
- Fraudulent transactions where the bank has refused to make you whole
- ATM disputes, where cash was debited but not dispensed
- Loan and mark-up disputes, including charges applied after settlement
- Delays in releasing funds, closing accounts or issuing documents
- Service failures where the bank has stopped responding
If your money has already gone to a scam rather than a bank error, the route is different and speed matters more. Blocking the card first is the immediate step, and we set that out in the guide to blocking an ATM card.
Do this immediately, before anything else
If money has left your account without your authorisation, the complaint process is the second thing you do, not the first.
Report it to the bank the same day and get it in writing. Call the helpline, then follow up in writing so there is a dated record. Ask for the transaction to be marked disputed. Banks generally treat a same-day report very differently from one made a fortnight later, and the delay is the first thing raised against you if the matter is contested.
Take screenshots of the transaction, the balance before and after, and any SMS alerts. Do not delete the messages. If a card is involved, block it, then ask for a replacement rather than reactivating the same number.
Only once that is done does the 45 day clock and the formal complaint become relevant. The Mohtasib route is for when the bank has had its chance and failed to put things right, and your evidence from day one is what carries the case.
Write the first letter properly
- Name the account and the transaction. Account number, date, amount, reference.
- State what went wrong in one paragraph. Facts and dates, not frustration.
- Say what you want. The refund, the reversal, the charge removed.
- Include the notice sentence, that you will approach the Banking Mohtasib if it is not resolved to your satisfaction.
- Date it and keep a copy. Get an acknowledgement or a reference number.
That letter is doing double duty. It is your complaint, and later it is your evidence.
If it is not a bank
The Banking Mohtasib covers banks. If your problem is with a federal government department instead, that is the Wafaqi Mohtasib, which is also free and has a 60 day statutory limit. We covered it in the guide to complaining to the Wafaqi Mohtasib.
For anything else, including provincial bodies, the Prime Minister's portal takes complaints against government organisations at all levels, and we set out how in the guide to the Pakistan Citizen's Portal.
Questions readers are asking
Does the Banking Mohtasib charge a fee?
No. The service is completely free of cost.
Can I go straight to the Banking Mohtasib?
No. You must first complain to your bank in writing, stating that you will refer the matter to the Banking Mohtasib if it is not resolved. The bank then has up to 45 days.
What if the bank never replies?
After 45 days with no reply you may file with the Banking Mohtasib. Keep proof that you wrote and when.
Does the form really need an Oath Commissioner?
Yes. The complaint form must be completed, signed and attested by an Oath Commissioner before submission.
How much money has it recovered?
The Banking Mohtasib states it provided relief of Rs 1.46 billion to banking customers up to 30 October 2025.
Can I file online?
Yes, through the Banking Mohtasib's own portal, alongside the postal route to the Karachi secretariat.
About the author
Author
Fajr Riaz is a well-talented author at Pakera.pk with expertise in creative content creation/writing and storytelling. Fajr's strength lies in creating engaging articles, detailed guides, and straight narratives that connect with readers and give meaningful insights. With her accurate attention to detail and passion for writing, Fajr has established herself as a pivotal pillar at Pakera and is invaluable.
