THE grant of pensions to senior citizens should be a straightforward process with minimal hassle to those of advanced age. However, this is not always the case in Pakistan. The State Bank has announced a new policy in this regard which aims to smoothen the process, and minimise chances of fraud. As per a circular issued on Monday, the central bank announced that pensioners would no longer require ‘life certificates’, and instead, would be required to undergo biometric verification twice a year at any branch of the bank where their pension account is maintained. The move has been made to eliminate fraud, particularly the phenomenon of ‘ghost pensioners’, where pensions end up in the pockets of fraudsters. In these days of financial turbulence such a move is a rational one, as leaks need to be plugged and wastage of public funds eliminated.

Doing away with the need to obtain a ‘life certificate’ (a document verified by a gazetted officer and indicating the pensioner is alive) twice a year may indeed be a welcome move. Run-ins with the bureaucracy for the common Pakistani are not usually pleasant experiences, more so if one is of advanced age. However, it should also be remembered that many genuine pensioners may be too old or infirm to make two yearly trips to the bank for verification. While ensuring that pensions are ending up in the accounts of genuine recipients is important, perhaps the authorities can adopt effective methods to ensure both transparency and the comfort of senior citizens. For example, for those seniors suffering from ill health, the authorities can arrange home visits where verification can be done with mobile gadgets. Moreover, for those who can make the trip to the bank, it should be ensured that seniors do not have to wait long periods. If such methods are adopted officials can ensure that only genuine pensioners are receiving benefits, while senior citizens will be saved the hassle of standing in line waiting to be verified.

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2021