Islamabad: President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi, has resolved the significant issue of citizens who fell victim to online fraud. Private banks have been instructed to return the defrauded individuals their amounts in millions of rupees.
According to details, the President of the country, Dr. Arif Alvi, has directed private banks to return an amount exceeding 564,000 rupees to the defrauded individuals. The victims had their funds transferred online and were deceived through ATM fraud.
The President of the country has addressed the appeals of Allied Bank, United Bank, and a citizen against the decisions of the banking ombudsman. According to details from the President’s press office, complainants Mohammad Saleem Zafar, Hidayatullah, and Ghulam Mohammad had separate accounts in Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar, respectively, at Allied Bank Limited, United Bank Limited, and Allied Bank Limited. Mohammad Saleem Zafar received a call from a number that resembled Allied Bank Limited’s helpline, and the caller impersonated a representative of the bank.
Saleem Zafar shared his banking information with the caller, after which an amount of 348,500 rupees was withdrawn from his account. Similarly, Hidayatullah used United Bank Limited’s digital app and an unidentified person withdrew 170,969 rupees, even though Hidayatullah had not requested electronic fund transfer services nor had he utilized them.
In the same manner, Ghulam Mohammad’s card got stuck in an ATM machine, and later, he discovered that some fraudsters had used his card illegally to withdraw 45,000 rupees from his account.
The complainants approached the banks for relief but did not receive any result. Afterward, they separately approached the banking ombudsman, who ordered the recovery of the lost amount for Mohammad Saleem Zafar and Hidayatullah, while closing Ghulam Mohammad’s complaint.
Following the decisions of the banking ombudsman, appeals were made to the President of the country, instructing the banks to return the defrauded amounts to all three victims.
The President of the country, in his decisions regarding Mohammad Saleem Zafar and Hidayatullah’s cases, stated that the banks had violated State Bank’s rules and regulations by providing electronic fund transfer facilities without the consent and knowledge of the users. The complainants had not made any requests to open such channels.
The President of the country stated in his decision that the banks cannot provide clear evidence regarding the conditions for the transfer of funds, and their negligence has been proven. Therefore, the victims should be reimbursed for the defrauded amounts.
The President stated that it has been established in Ghulam Mohammad’s case that fraudsters obtained the user’s card through deception. Safeguarding the interests of users is the fundamental responsibility of the bank.
The President rejected the decision to close the case of the banking ombudsman and directed the ABL to return the lost amount of 45,000 rupees to Ghulam Mohammad.
