Complain About a Microfinance Bank or Wallet in Pakistan: SBP, Not the Banking Mohtasib
The SBP says microfinance customers fall outside the Banking Mohtasib. See how to find your provider type, the 48 hour and 15 day deadlines, and where to go.
Short answer: If your account or wallet is with a microfinance bank, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) says the Banking Mohtasib does not hear your complaint. Complain to the provider first, then take it to the SBP. If your provider is an ordinary bank, the Banking Mohtasib route still applies.
Most wallet users have never checked what kind of company holds their money. That choice decides where an unresolved complaint can go. A bank, a microfinance bank and an electronic money institution can all run a wallet, and they do not share one complaint route.
We read the SBP consumer protection page on complaint handling on 12 October 2026. It states the rule for microfinance customers in plain words. We could not read the Banking Mohtasib's own page on this point, so we cannot say whether it words the limit the same way. Our earlier guides sent wallet users to the Mohtasib, and this page changes how we would put that.
Find out what kind of company holds your money
Open your account's terms and conditions or the "About" page in your app. Look at the legal name. A name ending in Microfinance Bank means a microfinance bank. A name ending in Bank Limited means a bank. A separate e-money company means an electronic money institution.
The SBP's own payment report counts 32 commercial and digital banks, 11 microfinance banks and 6 electronic money institutions at the end of FY26. Wallet services are spread across all three types, so the app's brand name alone does not tell you.
| Provider type | First step | Where an unresolved complaint goes, per the SBP page |
|---|---|---|
| Bank | The bank's complaint unit | Banking Mohtasib after 45 days or an unsatisfactory reply |
| Microfinance bank | The provider's complaint unit | The State Bank of Pakistan |
| E-money institution | The provider's complaint unit | Not stated on the page we read, ask the SBP |
Complain to the provider first and use its deadlines
The SBP says banks, microfinance banks and development finance institutions must run a complaint handling system. The provider must acknowledge your complaint within 48 hours. A minor complaint gets a final reply within 7 working days, and no complaint should take more than 15 days.
Fraud complaints get 30 days. If the matter needs detailed scrutiny, the provider sends an interim reply after 10 working days. Our guide on the 30 day answer to a fraud complaint sets out the fraud rule in more detail.
- Write to the provider's complaint unit by email, in-app form or letter.
- Give your name, CNIC, mobile number, account or wallet number and the dates.
- Attach screenshots, receipts and transaction numbers. Do not send originals.
- Ask for a complaint number and write down the date and time.
- Wait for the acknowledgement, due within 48 hours.
Take it to the State Bank if the provider is a microfinance bank
The SBP says that microfinance customers do not fall under the Banking Mohtasib and can approach the SBP. It also says the SBP deals with complaints about prize bonds, currency, utility bills, pension disbursement and matters needing immediate resolution.
The SBP's help desk takes the complaint online, and its Sunwai portal routes it. Our guide on the SBP Sunwai complaint portal explains the registration step by step. The SBP says it does not step in where the matter is already before a court or an agency such as the FIA.
What to put in a complaint to the SBP
The SBP asks for your name, complete postal address, CNIC and contact numbers, the provider's name and branch or office, the names of staff you dealt with, and a full description with dates. Attach copies of letters and proof. Do not attach original documents.
Say what you want: a refund, a reversal, an unblocked wallet or a written reason. A clear request is easier to resolve than a general complaint. Keep your first complaint to the provider and its reply together, because the SBP will ask what the provider said.
Where this changes what we told you before
Our guides on getting money back after an unauthorised transfer and on complaining to the Banking Mohtasib send wallet users to the Mohtasib after the provider. That route fits a bank. For a microfinance bank, the SBP page says the Mohtasib is not the forum.
The simple rule is to check your provider's legal name first, then follow the route in the table above. If you are unsure, send the complaint to the SBP help desk and ask it which forum applies. Do not lose time: the 45 day wait applies only where the Mohtasib is the next step.
Common questions
Can I complain to the Banking Mohtasib about my wallet?
Only if the wallet is run by a bank, according to the SBP page. For a microfinance bank the SBP says the Mohtasib has no jurisdiction and you should approach the SBP.
How long must my wallet provider take to reply?
It must acknowledge within 48 hours and answer a minor complaint within 7 working days. No complaint should take more than 15 days, and fraud complaints get 30 days.
Does it cost anything to complain to the SBP?
We found no fee mentioned on the SBP pages we read for the help desk or the Sunwai portal. Check the form at the time you file.
What if the complaint is already in court?
The SBP says it does not intervene in matters pending before a court or a law enforcement agency. Finish that case or ask your lawyer before you use the SBP route.
Does a disputed fee count as a complaint?
Yes, a wrong charge is a normal complaint to the provider. Check the amount against the published list first, such as our table of JazzCash and Easypaisa charges, then quote the figure in your complaint.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
We read the SBP consumer protection page on complaint resolution on 12 October 2026, along with the SBP payment systems report for FY26 for the provider counts, both at sbp.org.pk. We could not read the Banking Mohtasib's own page on microfinance, and we did not confirm which type of institution runs each named wallet. Check your own provider's legal name.
About the author
Technology Journalist & Multimedia Producer
Ahmad Ali is a technology journalist and multimedia producer at Pakistan Era, joining the team in October 2026. He covers consumer technology and digital life for Pakistani readers, combining research with hands-on product testing.
