09-09-2010, 10:37 AM
LAHORE – As Eid nears, this year again there would be a great ATM scramble when cash-strapped people flock to automated teller machines (ATMs) and drain them quickly during the holidays that for most of the people will begin on Thursday (today).
According to the government directives, the bank holidays will begin on Friday across the country. Eid will take place on either Friday or Saturday.
With the holy month of Ramazan coming to a close, cash-strapped Lahorites have been witnessed rushing to one, two or even three ATM kiosks before finding a machine that has not already been out-of-cash.
“The best strategy is to reach the nearby ATM as early as possible. The situation will be worse once the bank holidays begin on Friday (tomorrow) because the ATMs will not be reloaded for several days until the banks reopen on Tuesday (Sept 14),” branch manager of a local bank commented, when contacted. Ahmed Aslam, a college teacher from Samanabad area who was unable to draw his salary after trying his luck at a number of machines on Wednesday, suggested that the “banks should check their machines more often in the days running up to the holidays.” Most of the ATMs did not have the money to cough up, he said, adding, this was a very strange situation therefore banks should not leave their ATMs empty.
According to the government directives, the bank holidays will begin on Friday across the country. Eid will take place on either Friday or Saturday.
With the holy month of Ramazan coming to a close, cash-strapped Lahorites have been witnessed rushing to one, two or even three ATM kiosks before finding a machine that has not already been out-of-cash.
“The best strategy is to reach the nearby ATM as early as possible. The situation will be worse once the bank holidays begin on Friday (tomorrow) because the ATMs will not be reloaded for several days until the banks reopen on Tuesday (Sept 14),” branch manager of a local bank commented, when contacted. Ahmed Aslam, a college teacher from Samanabad area who was unable to draw his salary after trying his luck at a number of machines on Wednesday, suggested that the “banks should check their machines more often in the days running up to the holidays.” Most of the ATMs did not have the money to cough up, he said, adding, this was a very strange situation therefore banks should not leave their ATMs empty.