The federal government has introduced a new system for pension payments and digital proof-of-life verification for retired government employees, replacing the previous paper-based procedure, 24NewsHD TV reported.
Following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s directive, the Ministry of Finance has issued revised Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for pension payments and verification.
Under the new system, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) will link pensioners’ data with the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) and the Military Accountant General.
Digital proof-of-life signals will be transmitted directly from NADRA to the relevant departments.
Pensioners will be able to complete their verification through the Pak-ID mobile application, while biometric verification and proof-of-life certification by private banks will no longer be required.
The new procedure applies to retired federal government employees, including pensioners residing in Pakistan and those living abroad who receive their pensions in the country.
Under the revised system, private banks will be limited to pension disbursement, while pension payments will be made directly into designated bank accounts through the electronic payment system.
The ministry has also abolished the paper-based system for federal pension payments and introduced alternative verification mechanisms through NADRA centers, mobile units, facilitation franchises and district offices.
Forms 10, 11 and 12 will be used where manual verification is required, while a separate form has been introduced for pensioners residing abroad.
According to the revised procedure, pension accounts will not be declared inactive solely because of the nature of the pension.
If no digital proof-of-life signal is received for six months, payments will be temporarily suspended, but the account itself will not be classified as inactive.
Bank branches will serve only as NADRA verification centers under the new arrangement.
Reporter Waqas Azeem