By Zainab Shafiq 
Meezan Bank has already reimbursed at least ten customers after reports of unauthorized debit card transactions surfaced, raising concerns about a potential data breach. While social media buzzed with claims of “Meezan Bank hacked,” the bank firmly denied any compromise of its systems. Instead, it pointed to third-party platforms where customers may have shared sensitive data, bypassing OTP verification.
Complaints arose of online transactions-many in Malaysian currency-being made using affected debit cards. Platforms like Facebook were associated with a few transactions. Meezan Bank clarified that fewer than ten cases were reported in the last week and assured customers that refunds were processed promptly under its standard operating procedures for external data breaches.
The Meezan Bank hacked controversy throws light on the bigger issue of the growing cybercrime in Pakistan. Incidents like these have revived debates on the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016. The government has presented amendments to enhance the regulations against online fraud and data breaches.
However, the country’s preparedness to deal with cybercrime remains a matter of skepticism for cybersecurity experts. In fact, recent moves, including weakening the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) cybercrime wing and delays in operationalizing the National Cyber Crime & Investigation Authority (NCCIA), have kept Pakistan’s cybersecurity framework at a precarious stage.
Meezan Bank is considered the Best Bank 2024, and it reaffirmed its commitment to secure banking services for its customers. It said that its systems stand strong and that customers should take precautionary measures while filling in personal information online. This incident shows the fragility of third-party systems and the need for consumers’ data to be saved by enhanced cybersecurity measures urgently.
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