Eid in Chitral: Cash strapped banks, frustrated customers

Gul Hamaad Farooqi

CHITRAL: Hundred of people were unable to get cash from different banks of Chitral on Friday. A large number of people were seen standing in long queue in front of National Bank of Pakistan main branch Chitral and Bank of Khyber to get their monthly salary and pension but they were shocked to learn that there is no money in the banks.

A large number of customers complained that they are waiting for the last 4 hours in front of Bank but they were not being paid cash by the bank staff, who, reportedly, said that they had not received cash.

Due to non payment to service men and pensioners a large number of people also failed to purchase sacrificial animal for Eidul Azha. Only National Bank’s Drosh branch was paying to its clients on Friday.

A contractor disclosed to this scribe that he has submitted a cheque to bank and was waiting for a long time but his cheque was returned to him due to non availability of cash in the bank.

Manager of a private bank told this scribe that NBP is the only bank authorized to distribute cash among other banks of the region. He blamed NBP for failing to arrange the cash.

A bank employee of National Bank told this scribe on the condition of anonymity that they get cash through PIA flight but due to regularl cancellation of PIA scheduled flights they could not get cash, hence the crisis.

Social and political circle of Chitral have demanded for conducting inquiry in this regard and demanded from high ups of Bank of Khyber and National bank to bound their staff at Chitral branches to arrange for getting money through road in case PIA flights are cancelled due to inclement weather conditions.

On public pressure, the Manager of National Bank of Pakistan’s Main Branch Chitral has opened his bank on Saturday to facilitate the customers. It was also revealed that he got money from businessmen on his own interest to be able to pay to his clients.