This guide deliberately does not list bank helpline numbers and email addresses. They change, out-of-date contact details circulate widely online, and fraudsters actively publish fake bank helplines to harvest exactly the details a distressed customer will hand over. What does not change is the escalation structure - and knowing that is worth more than a phone number.
The escalation ladder
| Rung | Who | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Branch or relationship manager | First point for most issues |
| 2 | Bank's complaint cell / helpline | Where the branch does not resolve it |
| 3 | Bank's regional or head office | Escalation within the bank |
| 4 | Banking Mohtasib Pakistan | After the bank has had its opportunity |
| 5 | State Bank of Pakistan | Regulatory and conduct matters |
| 6 | Courts | Where the claim needs adjudication |
| Parallel | FIA cybercrime | Where fraud or unauthorised access is involved |
You generally need to give the bank a fair opportunity first before the Banking Mohtasib will take up a complaint. So the complaint reference number from rung two is not a formality - it is the evidence that you completed the earlier step, and without it your escalation may simply be sent back.
Finding the right contact safely
This matters more than it sounds. Searching for a bank helpline is a well-known route to a fraudster's number.
- Use the number printed on the back of your card - the most reliable source.
- Use the bank's official website, typed directly rather than reached through a search advertisement.
- Use the bank's own app, which usually has an in-app complaint channel.
- Use your branch, whose details you can verify in person.
- Check the Banking Mohtasib and SBP sites for their own official contacts.
- Never use a number from a search result, a social media reply or a message.
No genuine bank will ask for your full card number, PIN, CVV, password or a one-time passcode. Anyone asking is committing fraud, regardless of what number you called or who they claim to be. This is the single most common way Pakistani bank customers lose money, and it happens most often to people who were already trying to resolve a problem.
Writing a complaint that works
- Your details - name, account number (partial where in writing), CNIC, contact.
- What happened, in date order, factually.
- Amounts and dates, precisely - transaction IDs where you have them.
- What you have already done - previous calls, references, who you spoke to.
- What you want - reversal, correction, waiver, explanation.
- Attach evidence - statements, screenshots, receipts.
- Ask for a complaint reference number and a timeline.
Keep it factual and short. A one-page complaint with the transaction detail attached is acted on faster than five pages of narrative, because the person handling it can see immediately what is being claimed.
If money has gone: act in hours
For fraud and unauthorised transactions the ordinary complaint process is too slow as a first step. Speed determines whether funds are recoverable.
- Call the bank immediately using the number on your card, and ask them to block the card or account.
- Ask them to attempt to stop or recall the transaction.
- Get the complaint reference on that call.
- Follow up in writing the same day.
- File an FIA cybercrime complaint in parallel - see how to file.
- Preserve everything - messages, call records, screenshots.
- Do not accept a verbal assurance without a reference number.
Do not wait to see whether the money comes back on its own. Once funds have been withdrawn or moved onward through several accounts, recovery becomes very difficult. The window that matters is hours, and both the bank and the FIA should be contacted within it - see what happens after you file.
Going to the Banking Mohtasib
The Banking Mohtasib is the statutory ombudsman for banking customer complaints and is free to use.
- Complain to the bank first and allow it a reasonable opportunity.
- Keep the bank's response, or evidence that none came.
- Submit in the prescribed form with supporting documents.
- Set out the relief sought clearly.
- Observe the time limits that apply to complaints.
- Respond promptly to anything asked of you.
Confirm the current procedure, forms and time limits at bankingmohtasib.gov.pk. The State Bank of Pakistan also handles regulatory and conduct matters.
Common complaint types
| Issue | First step |
|---|---|
| Unauthorised transaction | Call immediately, block, then FIA in parallel |
| ATM cash not dispensed but debited | Report at once with date, time and machine location |
| Charges applied without notice | Written complaint seeking reversal and explanation |
| Account frozen or blocked | Ask in writing for the reason and requirements |
| Loan or card mis-selling | Written complaint with the documents you signed |
| Credit information dispute | Complaint to the bank; correction of the record |
| Cheque dishonour | Establish the reason; see below |
| Poor service or delay | Branch, then complaint cell |
A dishonoured cheque is a distinct situation with its own remedies against the drawer - see immediate steps as payee.
Keep a paper trail
- Every complaint reference number, with the date obtained.
- Names of who you spoke to, and when.
- Copies of everything sent, with proof of delivery.
- Screenshots of app and online banking messages.
- Statements covering the disputed period.
- A dated log of each contact and what was said.
The dated log is what makes an escalation succeed. A complaint to the Banking Mohtasib supported by a chronology of references, dates and named contacts is materially stronger than one asserting that the bank was unhelpful - and it takes only a few minutes to keep as you go.
Frequently asked questions
How do I complain about my bank in Pakistan?
Complain to the branch first, then the bank's complaint cell, obtaining a complaint reference number. If unresolved or unsatisfactory, escalate to the Banking Mohtasib Pakistan, the statutory banking ombudsman.
Where do I find my bank's complaint number?
The number printed on the back of your card is the most reliable source, followed by the bank's official website typed directly, the bank's app, or your branch. Never use a number from a search result or a message.
Why does this guide not list bank helpline numbers?
Because they change, out-of-date details circulate widely, and fraudsters publish fake bank helplines to harvest customer credentials. Take current details from your card, the bank's own site, or the Banking Mohtasib.
What will a genuine bank never ask for?
Your full card number, PIN, CVV, password or a one-time passcode. Anyone asking is committing fraud regardless of what number you called or who they claim to be.
Money has been taken from my account. What do I do first?
Call the bank immediately using the number on your card, ask them to block the account and attempt to stop or recall the transaction, get a complaint reference, and file an FIA cybercrime complaint in parallel.
How quickly do I need to act on fraud?
Within hours. Once funds are withdrawn or moved through several accounts, recovery becomes very difficult, so contact both the bank and the FIA immediately rather than waiting to see what happens.
When can I go to the Banking Mohtasib?
After the bank has had a reasonable opportunity to resolve the complaint. Keep the bank's response or evidence that none came, submit in the prescribed form with supporting documents, and observe the applicable time limits.
What records should I keep?
Every complaint reference with its date, names of who you spoke to, copies of everything sent with proof of delivery, app screenshots, statements for the disputed period, and a dated log of each contact.
Sources & official references
- Banking Mohtasib Pakistan - the banking ombudsman for customer complaints
- State Bank of Pakistan - banking regulation and consumer protection
- FIA - cybercrime reporting and investigation