AS of 21 April 2025, digital services of the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) remain suspended for the 11th consecutive day.
Customers across the country have been unable to access ATMs, mobile banking, or make online transactions.
While the management continues to cite “system maintenance,” the ongoing failure reflects a deeper issue—poor governance, misplaced priorities and a growing disconnect between NBP’s leadership and its responsibilities to the public.
Once known as a reliable institution, NBP now finds itself in the spotlight for its inefficiencies.
While basic banking services collapse, the top tier of its management flourishes with lavish salaries and perks.
The President and CEO, Rehmat Ali Hasnie, reportedly draws a monthly salary of over Rs.9 million, excluding bonuses, housing allowance of Rs.1 million, luxury vehicles, club memberships and several other benefits.
Such figures are staggering—particularly when viewed against the backdrop of the bank’s current performance and the suffering of its pensioners.
More than 11,000 retired NBP employees have been waiting for justice since their pensions were arbitrarily reduced from 70% to 33% back in 1999.
Despite a 2017 ruling by the Supreme Court in their favour, the bank chose to delay the process by filing a review petition, buying time while thousands of elderly pensioners continued to struggle.
That review was dismissed in March 2024 and the court ordered the bank to release Rs.60 billion in pending dues.
Yet, many of the affected retirees are still waiting.
Tragically, over 700 pensioners have passed away during this prolonged legal and bureaucratic battle—many without receiving the benefits they had earned through decades of service.
The human cost of this delay cannot be ignored.
These are not just numbers—they represent lives spent in loyal service, now overshadowed by indifference.
All this, while the bank’s leadership continues to enjoy unmatched financial privileges.
This stark contrast exposes a troubling culture within the institution: reward the top, ignore the rest.
Adding to the public’s frustration is NBP’s failure to provide uninterrupted digital banking services.
In an age where banking is expected to be instant and reliable, a week-long outage is unacceptable.
For pensioners, salaried individuals and small businesses relying on daily transactions, this failure has caused significant disruption.
The situation demands serious attention from the government.
The Prime Minister and the Finance Minister must take immediate notice of these developments.
The mismanagement, digital collapse and neglect of pensioners are issues that require more than statements—they require action.
NBP’s current direction is unsustainable.
Reform, accountability and responsible leadership are the only way forward.
The institution must return to its core purpose: serving the people of Pakistan with integrity and fairness.
—The writer is former Regional Executive Inclusive Development at NBP, Mirpur AK.(aahmadofpaswal@yahoo.com)
