Karachi, 11 Oct 2023:In a ground-breaking initiative unveiled on World Sight Day, HBL has integrated a novel accessibility feature into its digital banking app, HBL Mobile, becoming Pakistan’s first mobile banking application offering talkback audio assistance for visually impaired individuals. Users can activate this feature by enabling the screen reader from their smartphone's accessibility settings, which provides a descriptive audio of the on-screen elements when tapped, covering functions like sending money, bill payments, and account balance checking. This endeavour allows HBL customers, especially those who are visually impaired or prefer audio assistance, to perform digital banking activities independently without the need for external assistance.
The mechanism to operate the talkback audio assistance is user-friendly: individuals are required to navigate to their smartphone’s accessibility settings and activate the screen reader. Once operational, tapping on various elements on the screen will trigger an audio description, assisting users in utilizing features that span from transferring funds and paying bills to checking account balances. Thus, HBL Mobile has pioneered an inclusive digital banking experience, especially for visually impaired customers or those who favour audio-based navigation, allowing them to conduct digital banking seamlessly without relying on others.
Abrar Ahmed Mir, the Chief Innovation and Financial Inclusion Officer at HBL, voiced his thoughts on the initiative, noting, “Financial inclusion and diversity are vital for a prosperous economy, and with HBL Mobile’s new accessibility feature, we are ensuring that visually impaired individuals can maneuver through our app and handle their finances autonomously. By amplifying the accessibility of our banking app, HBL is championing an initiative where everyone is enabled to engage thoroughly within the society.”
This step aligns HBL with global strides towards inclusivity in the financial sector, recognizing the necessity to offer seamless banking experiences for all sections of the society, especially the visually impaired. Enabling them to perform a range of banking operations without necessitating assistance from others not only provides them with a sense of independence but also broadens the scope of digital banking adoption across varied user demographics within the country.