This is referring to your letter 'Ordeals of Utility Bills' appearing in your issue of August 30, 2005, highlighting the ordeals of paying utility bills in Gulistan-e-Johar, Karachi.
It is a matter-of-fact, that the branch of Bank Al Habib in Block-17 of Gulistan-e-Johar, does not accept any utility bills. Thus the residents of Blocks 15, 16, 17, and 18 are facing great difficulties in paying their utility bills, and have to waste a lot of time in long "Queues" at the Habib Bank Branch in Block 18. It is not understood why the Bank Al Habib is defying the orders of the State Bank of Pakistan?
I, therefore, fully endorse the views of Ahmed that the authorities that are concerned, should pressurise the branch of Bank Al Habib also to accept the utility bills, when it is happily providing banking facilities to its customers, not only in Gulistan-e-Johar but also outside it. Ahmed's other suggestion merit considerations, and in addition to it, I would like to add that the HBL branch in Gulistan-e-Johar should provide a shelter to the 'Queuers' of the utility bills to keep them all cool.
Banks should not see their own services from the commercial point of. The interest of the residents paying their utility bills should also be given priority. It is, therefore, hoped that the Governor of State Bank of Pakistan will kindly intervene in the matter and see that the branch of Bank Al Habib also starts taking utility bills to save the area people from going to distant places, risking their lives, due to carrying cash to be paid for in utility bills.
The matter, it is hoped, will be given attention by the Governor State Bank of Pakistan at his earliest convenience obliging thousands of consumers.