Overseas Pakistanis/non-residents: 'Verisys system should be used for identification of accounts'

NADRA Verisys system should be used for identification of bank accounts of overseas Pakistanis/non-residents, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) informed the Federal Ombudsman. According to the statement issued for Federal Ombudsman office on Monday, a number of overseas Pakistanis, residing in different countries, had lodged their complaints with the Grievance Commissioner of Overseas Pakistanis of Federal Ombudsman Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmad Khokhar regarding blocking of their bank accounts due to biometric verification. They claim that NADRA verification system/NICOP already has everyone's biometric. Due to this, they are facing great problems and their families are suffering due to account blockage by the banks. They requested for intervention and resolving their grievances.
Hafiz Ahsaan issued notice and called a report from the Governor SBP and asked to redress their grievances. The SBP presented the report and submitted that SRO has been issued by them and all banks of Pakistan have been advised to use the data/Verisys of NADRA for biometric verification of Overseas Pakistanis bank accounts.
The report further stated that under which, for the non-resident Pakistanis (NRP) having CNIC/ NICOP may conduct fresh NADRA Verisys using the information provided by the customer. Moreover, for those customers who are not NRP, the bank conducts fresh NADRA Verisys and retains the same in place of biometric verification until the customer returns (within 6 months) and biometric shall be done immediately on customer's return.
The State Bank further informed that the joint accounts, where one account holder is outside Pakistan, the biometric should be done of the resident and the relevant procedure depending upon above NRP and temporarily status, should be adopted for the other partner.
Wafaqi Mohtsib Secretariat directed State Bank of Pakistan to remind these instructions to all banks and to utilize NADRA Verisys system instead of personal biometric verification for those who are either non- resident Pakistanis or temporarily residing outside Pakistan.
Furthermore, State Bank of Pakistan assured that it will take action in case any violation of the decision or unnecessary inconvenience to the customer/overseas Pakistanis is established. This initiative would ease the problems of millions of overseas Pakistanis who are living all over world and now their bank accounts would be verified through NADRA Verisys system.