Karachi – July 1, 2025: Bank customers across Pakistan are now facing higher fees when withdrawing cash from ATMs that do not belong to their own bank. Starting this month, the per-transaction fee for cash withdrawals at non-host ATMs has increased from Rs. 23.44 to Rs. 35.00—a jump of nearly 50 percent.
Several commercial banks, including Meezan Bank and MCB Islamic Bank, have already updated their schedule of charges and started billing customers at the new rate. These revised charges apply only when customers use ATMs owned by banks other than their own.
The bulk of this fee continues to go to 1-Link, the country’s main interbank transaction switch, while a smaller portion is retained by the bank that owns the ATM used by non-account holders.
For many customers—especially those in rural areas or crowded urban centres where access to their own bank’s ATMs may be limited—this increase could become a regular burden. Frequent small withdrawals now mean paying significantly more each month just to access their own money.
Banks have justified the hike, saying it helps cover rising maintenance costs and network charges. However, critics argue that the move unfairly penalises account holders already struggling with record inflation and mounting living expenses.
As all commercial banks adopt the updated charges, customers are being urged to plan their withdrawals carefully or use digital banking channels to minimise additional fees.
