Visually impaired persons: banks asked to allow individual account

The State Bank of Pakistan has advised all the banks to ensure that visually impaired persons are allowed to open individual bank accounts. The State Bank has noted that some of the banks do not open individual accounts for visually impaired persons and insist upon opening of a joint account.
With a view to facilitate the visually impaired persons and make them a productive member of the society, the State Bank has asked banks to also allow opening of an individual account to such persons after explaining to them terms and conditions set by the banks to govern the operation of these accounts.
"The banks are further advised to ensure that no request of a visually impaired person for opening of an individual account, if he/she so desires, is refused," says a circular issued on Monday.