You withdraw Rs 20,000 from an ATM in Karachi. The machine pauses, displays an error and gives you no cash. Your phone, however, shows a Rs 20,000 debit.
Report the failed withdrawal to your card-issuing bank immediately and obtain a complaint number. Some transactions reverse automatically; others require investigation.
What to do immediately
Check whether the debit has already reversed. If not, use your bank’s official helpline, app or complaint channel. Record the withdrawal date and time, amount, ATM location and operating bank, last four digits of your card and any transaction reference. Save the receipt, debit SMS or account screenshot.
Describe the incident as an ATM cash-not-dispensed complaint. Ask for the complaint number and expected resolution date. Never disclose your PIN, OTP or banking password.
How long does an ATM reversal take?
SBP’s PSD Circular Letter No. 2 of 2010 set out automatic-credit periods for unsuccessful ATM cash transactions. The published schedule distinguishes transactions at the customer’s own bank from interbank withdrawals:
- Own bank, same branch: next business day
- Own bank, different branch in the same city: three business days
- Own bank, different city: four business days
- Different banks on the same switch: six business days
- Different banks on different switches: seven business days
The circular also provides extra allowances in certain circumstances, including off-site ATMs. These historical published periods should not be treated as universal guarantees for every current dispute. Ask your bank which current SBP and payment-network instructions govern your transaction. Business days exclude relevant banking holidays.
Which bank should receive the complaint?
If your HBL card was used at a Meezan Bank ATM, report the disputed debit to HBL, your card issuer. You may also report the malfunction to the ATM operator, but do not substitute that report for a formal complaint to your own bank.
What evidence does the bank examine?
The investigation may consider the ATM’s electronic journal, dispenser error logs, transaction messages and cash reconciliation. CCTV footage may help where available. An account debit alone does not prove that you received cash. If the bank rejects your claim, request a written explanation of the records considered.
If the ATM dispensed only part of the requested amount, state both the amount requested and the amount received. For example, if Rs 30,000 was debited but only Rs 20,000 came out, dispute the missing Rs 10,000.
How to escalate an unresolved complaint
Follow up with the bank’s Complaint Management Unit using your reference number. SBP’s general complaint-resolution deadlines expressly exclude ATM claims, which follow payment-system instructions.
Under the Banking Mohtasib procedure amended in 2024, a bank generally has 30 days to respond satisfactorily before a customer can approach the Banking Mohtasib. A further statutory filing period generally applies, subject to rules on delayed complaints. If the bank has already rejected your complaint, consult the official procedure promptly. Visit Banking Mohtasib Pakistan for current filing requirements.
SBP’s Sunwai portal helps customers lodge and track banking complaints. Its role differs from that of the Banking Mohtasib. Microfinance bank complaints generally follow the SBP route rather than Banking Mohtasib jurisdiction.
Sample complaint
Subject: ATM withdrawal debited but cash not dispensed
Dear Customer Complaint Management Unit,
On [date] at approximately [time], I attempted to withdraw Rs [amount] from the [bank] ATM at [location]. The ATM did not dispense the requested cash, but my account was debited. My card ends in [XXXX], and the transaction reference is [reference, if available]. Please investigate and reverse the incorrect debit under applicable instructions. Kindly provide a complaint reference number, expected resolution date and written explanation if the claim is rejected.
Regards,
[Name]
[Registered contact number]
What if there is no receipt?
You can still complain. Banks retain transaction records independently of the paper receipt. Supply the approximate time, location, amount and debit notification. If the machine retains your card, report that separately and secure the card through your bank.
A failed withdrawal is not the end of the matter. Keep the complaint number, ask for the applicable deadline and obtain the bank’s findings in writing if it refuses to reverse the debit.
Disclaimer: General consumer information, not legal advice. Check the latest applicable SBP instructions and bank procedures before relying on any particular timeline.
Related guides on munaeem.org
For wider banking complaint rights, read What Pakistani Bank Customers Should Know About Their Rights. If your bank closes a disputed transaction without resolving it, see How to Challenge Disputed Card Charges in Pakistan. Our Pakistan Payments Guide covers further payment and complaint topics.
Official resources
State Bank of Pakistan · Banking Mohtasib Pakistan · SBP Sunwai