In order to bring transparency and ease in the pension payment process, the Government of Pakistan vide letter No. 12(9)-Reg. 6/2012 dated January 06, 2021, has made the following amendments into the SOPs for direct credit system (DCS) with immediate effect.

As per the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), under the latest amendments, pensioner shall be required to undergo biometric verification from any branch of a bank maintaining his/ her pension account, every year in March and September. If the pensioner is unable to undergo biometric verification due to incapacitation by bodily illness, infirmity, or if his/ her fingerprints do not exist due to old age or a genetic condition, he/she will provide a life certificate as per the SOPs.

In case of family pension, Non-Marriage declaration as required under para 4 and 9(xiii) of SOPs shall be obtained from pensioners on or before 30th September of each year instead of March and September.

Submission of above mentioned Non-Marriage declaration will be dispensed with after the widow/ daughter/ sister of the pensioner (family pension recipient) attains the age of sixty years.

If a pensioner fails to submit a life certificate or fails to undergo biometric verification during March and September or a pensioner does not draw a pension for consecutive six months, the account shall become dormant.

The requirement of submission of indemnity bond by a pensioner, as laid down in para 3(f) and 9(xii) of the SOPs is discontinued.

Furthermore, the Finance Division clarified that the pension shall be paid through a bank account either current or PLS maintained in the pensioner’s name. A pension account shall not be a joint account and a bank account dedicated to pension transactions only shall not be mandatory for the pension.