Banking Mohtasib provides Rs1.87bn relief to customers in 2025

KARACHI: The Banking Mohtasib provided more than Rs1.87 billion in relief to bank customers in 2025 after disposing of 36,280 complaints, according to the institution’s annual report for the year released on Monday.

The amount of monetary relief increased from Rs1.65bn in 2024, when 27,753 complaints were resolved. It also showed that the number of complaints handled rose significantly during the latest reporting period.

35,130 complaints were received in 2025, while another 13,793 cases were carried forward from the previous year. The total number of complaints received during 2025 was 15 per cent higher than in 2024.

Most complaints settled through reconciliation

Of the 36,280 complaints disposed of during the year, 32,002 were resolved amicably through reconciliation. Another 1,973 complaints were decided after 2,206 formal hearings held across the country, which was a record.

The annual report also said 2,305 complaints were disposed of or rejected because they were incomplete, frivolous, or fell outside the Mohtasib’s jurisdiction.

Complaint disposal improved markedly during the year. There was a 31 per cent increase in the disposal of complaints, while the pendency of cases declined by eight per cent.

Rise in digital banking complaints

The report highlighted a sharp increase in complaints linked to internet banking, mobile applications and digital banking services. Such complaints rose from 4,535 in 2024 to 5,345 in 2025.

Complaints related to service inefficiency also increased, climbing to 3,596 in 2025 from 2,673 a year earlier.

The figures indicate that while the Banking Mohtasib expanded complaint resolution and increased monetary relief for customers, grievances connected to digital banking channels and service quality also grew during the year under review.

The annual report’s data showed that reconciliation remained the main method for resolving disputes, with only a smaller portion of cases requiring formal adjudication through hearings. At the same time, the institution reported progress in reducing pending cases despite a higher inflow of complaints.

The report was released on Monday and covered the calendar year 2025.