THE Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) should rename itself the Employees’ Old-Age Hardships Institution (EOHI) considering the nuisance it creates for senior citizens when it comes to withdrawing their monthly pensions.

Recently, the EOBI issued new pension ATM cards to all its registered members, directing them to call 021-111-225-229 for card activation.

Whenever the pensioners call the given number, they have to hear an automated response, informing them that they will be transferred to the relevant official shortly, but the wait never ends. It wastes the callers’ time and phone charges in return for nothing.

Upon visiting the bank whose ATM card has been issued, I was told to send a text message on EOBI’s helpline number 8645. As I followed the instruction, I received a message from EOBI instantly, stating that their dedicated agent will contact within 48 hours. It seems that instead of writing ‘days’, the EOBI mistakenly wrote ‘hours’, or may be the clocks at the EOBI function at a snail’s pace. The EOBI maintained its steadfastness, and the so-called ‘dedicated agent’ never showed up to show his dedication despite a wait of several days.

For biometric verification, the EOBI asks pensioners to get it done at any ‘Easypaisa’ outlet or any branch of the designated commercial bank. Upon visiting ‘any’ branch of the designated bank, however, pensioners are simply told that the service is no more available in that branch, and that they have to approach only the ‘designated’ branches of the ‘designated’ bank.

Besides, the fingerprints of most senior citizens do not appear on the biometric verification device because of their age, but no appropriate alternative system has been developed by the EOBI to save the pensioners from the trouble of visiting the bank again and again.

The EOBI management should look into the matter and resolve it in the best interest of senior citizens.

Aamir Aqil

Lahore

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I USE my Bank Alfalah ATM card to withdraw my Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) pension every month. My ATM card expired in May 2021 after completing its five-year validity period. I have visited several branches of the bank since then and have called the bank’s helpline countless times to get a new ATM card, but all in vain.

The helpline, which claims to offer round-the-clock service, only plays a recorded message, asking the caller to wait; a wait that never ends.

The bank management should make the provision of the new ATM cards easy for aged pensioners like me.

Shafaat Ahmed

Karachi

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2021