KARACHI, March 18: The State Bank has told all banks that overseas Pakistanis and Pakistanis holding dual nationality do not necessarily need Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) issued by the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) for opening bank accounts. The Banking Policy Department of the central bank issued a letter to banks and DFIs (development finance institutions) on Friday, telling them that they might accept National Identify Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) and Pakistan Origin Card (POC) for opening accounts of overseas Pakistanis and Pakistanis maintaining dual nationality. These two cards are also issued by NADRA.

The letter said that the two cards could be used for opening both local currency and foreign currency accounts with banks and the DFIs.