Summary Court rejects bank appeal in online fraud case from Layyah, orders refund, stresses banks must strengthen systems as citizens face rising cyber fraud risks.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The Federal Constitutional Court has dismissed the appeal of a private bank in an online banking fraud case involving a resident of Layyah and ordered the return of the defrauded amount.
A two-member bench headed by Justice Aamer Farooq heard the case, where the court made strong remarks regarding cybersecurity and banking systems.
During the hearing, Justice Aamer Farooq observed that hackers are often already present within banking systems, stating that accounts are opened later but data is accessed earlier, adding that it is the responsibility of banks to strengthen their systems.
He further remarked that he himself had received a fraudulent call from a private bank, where he was asked to share an OTP or his account would be blocked. He also mentioned that since there were no transactions in his account for 3 to 4 years, he instructed the bank to close it.
The judge also stated that he does not use online banking himself, questioning where ordinary people are supposed to go in such cases and how their money can be withdrawn without consent.
The court noted that the Banking Mohtasib, the President, and the High Court had already ruled against the bank in the matter.
The bank’s lawyer argued before the court that the citizen had made transactions himself through his mobile application, while the complainant maintained that his phone number had been hacked or stolen.
