THIS refers to the two letters “Old age ‘benefits’ or ‘hardships’?” (June 27) which complained of problems with card activation and biometric verification systems. I am also a pensioner and I have also suffered the same ordeal. My experience, however, suggests that the systems are fine, and it is the unprofessional attitude of the bank staff handling the pensioners which is the real rot. They consider the pensioners a spent entity having no commercial value, and deal with them accordingly.

I have the experience of dealing with them both as a commercial account holder and as a pensioner. Some of the bank staff (not all) deal differently in my two different positions. This is normal. But none of them has the right to behave like sadists.

In May 2021, I received a text message that my Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) card had been sent and that I should approach the relevant bank branch. I did that and collected the card. The officer asked me to send ‘EOBI’ message to 8645.

I followed the advice and received a message in reply reading “… Our dedicated agent will contact you within 48 hours (during working days)”. The agent contacted me as promised and took my particulars, but the call ended due to my mishandling.

I sent the message again and I was advised to contact their nearby branch. I visited a branch. The officer tried to activate the card through biometric verification. My fingerprints did not work because of old age.

The officer asked me to contact their helpline. I told her that the helpline never replied. She told me that there was no other alternative. The card could be activated either through biometric verification or through the helpline. I left the branch with a heavy heart. I tried several times to contact the helpline, but to no avail.

A few days later, I visited another branch, hoping that this time my fingerprints might work. The officer, contrary to the one at the branch I had visited first, did everything he possibly could to have the biometric verification done, but failed. He cleaned the machine twice and then personally pressed my fingers on its screen, but all in vain. While doing all this and failing, he showed no signs of boredom or his precious time being wasted.

He kept dealing with his other work while attending to me from time to time. Ultimately, he told me that my card had been activated. Elated, I asked him: “Did my fingerprints work?” He replied: “No. I did it through physical verification.”

I had met the gentleman for the first time. I had no dealing with the bank branch he was working at. What the official did was his own initiative. I thanked him for his nice and compassionate handling of the case. He asked me to visit him whenever I had the need to.

The crux of the story is that the systems are fine. If the biometric verification is not possible, physical verification can be done. It all depends on the attitude of the dealing bank staff. My experience may help my fellow EOBI pensioners who may not be aware of the alternative facility of physical verification.

Mohammad Nasir
Rawalpindi

(2)

THIS refers to the two letters “Old age ‘benefits’ or ‘hardships’?” (June 27). A few months ago, I had the same frustrating and worrisome experience in having my new Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) card activated, during daylight hours, through the designated 24-hour helpline, 021-111-225-229.

Then I got a brain wave. I rang up the number at 4.45am when the world is supposed to be asleep. Surprisingly, my call was immediately answered, the relevant questions put were responded to by me, and, lo and behold, my new EOBI card stood activated.

Hence, my advice to my fellow old-age pensioners is to call the helpline between 1am and 5am, and see if they succeed. I wish them well!

M.R. Ali
Karachi

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2021