People are receiving an alleged message from the State Bank of Pakistan about restrictions on ATM cash withdrawals till the end of the month.

The peculiar message that you may receive from ‘8182’ or ‘8832’ will read: “Dear Customer, as per State Bank of Pakistan directions, ATM cash withdrawal limit is restricted to 1000 PKR ” till Jan 31.

However, the central bank has distanced itself from these messages. It said the decision to set withdrawal limit is taken by the banks, not the SBP.

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Meanwhile, the SBP also sent a message to the banks, asking them to “send appropriately worded messages” to their consumers to curb the flow of misinformation.

In a the message to the banks, the SBP said that it has received “multiple reports…that customers are receiving messages with the context that SBP has put some kind of restrictions on ATM cash withdrawals”.

“The SBP has not given any such instructions to the financial institutions,” the statement clarified.

“In this regard, kindly make sure to send appropriately worded messages to your customers on urgent basis, reassuring them regarding this false spread of messages,” the SBP clarification read.