PRESS RELEASE

• NADRA VERISYS SYSTEM TO BE USED FOR IDENTIFICATION OF OVERSEAS PAKISTANIS/NON-RESIDENT BANK ACCOUNTS.

A number of Overseas Pakistanis, residing in different countries lodged their complaints with the Federal Ombudsman regarding blocking of their bank accounts on account of biometric verification. Their claim was that NADRA Verification system/ NICOP already had their biometric record; therefore blockage of accounts due to this reason was unjustified. They requested for intervention to resolve their grievances.

Grievance Commissioner of Overseas Pakistanis of Federal Ombudsman Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmad Khokhar called a report from the Governor, State Bank of Pakistan, in this regard. The State Bank submitted that an SRO had been issued by them advising all banks of Pakistan to use the data/Verisys of NADRA for biometric verification of non-resident Pakistanis’(NRP) bank accounts. Moreover, for those customers who are not NRP but residing outside Pakistan temporarily, the bank may conduct fresh NADRA Verisys and retain the same in place of biometric verification until their returns (within 6 months). Biometric of such customers shall be done immediately on customer’s return to the country.  The State Bank further informed that in case of joint accounts, where one account holder is outside Pakistan, the biometric should be done of the resident, while the above stated procedure will be procedure be adopted for the other partner.

Wafaqi Mohtsib Secretariat directed State Bank of Pakistan to issue these instructions to all banks and to utilize NADRA Verisys system instead of personal biometric verification for non-resident Pakistanis or the Pakistanis who are temporarily residing outside Pakistan. State Bank of Pakistan assured that it will take action in case any violation of the decision or unnecessary inconvenience caused to the customers/Overseas Pakistanis in this regard. This initiative will resolve the problems of millions of Overseas Pakistanis living all over the world as their bank accounts now would be verified through NADRA Verisys system.