The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has clarified that pension payments will not be stopped solely because pensioners did not obtain a Proof of Life Certificate during September. The clarification addresses concerns among retired employees that failure to complete the verification process could result in suspension of their regular pension payments. NADRA Public Information Officer Syed Shabahat Ali said the non-issuance of the certificate by NADRA would not, by itself, lead to suspension of a pension.
The clarification applies to retired employees from various institutions, including former personnel of the armed forces as well as federal and provincial government departments. According to NADRA, pension payments will not be stopped simply because a retiree has not obtained the certificate. The same position also applies to pensioners whose institutions have not yet approached NADRA for Proof of Life Certificate services. NADRA is continuing to coordinate with relevant institutions to facilitate the verification process for pensioners. NADRA introduced its Proof of Life Certificate service in August as part of efforts to simplify pension verification. The certificate can be obtained through the PakID mobile application, NADRA Registration Centres, Union Councils and e-Sahulat franchises, while mobile registration services are also available for pensioners who face difficulties travelling to service locations. NADRA made the service free of charge and specifically highlighted its potential benefit for elderly, bedridden and differently abled pensioners.
The digital verification service is part of a broader National Pensioners Register being developed by NADRA. The system provides an authenticated digital reference for verifying pensioners’ identity and life status and is intended to reduce reliance on repeated physical verification. NADRA has also enabled authorised banks to check Proof of Life status through the register, while decisions about continuation, modification or discontinuation of pensions remain with the relevant pension authorities. The State Bank of Pakistan separately circulated revised procedures for digital Proof of Life and pension disbursement in September.
NADRA’s latest clarification therefore separates the availability of the Proof of Life service from an automatic suspension of pension payments. Pensioners can continue using the available digital and physical channels to complete their verification, but failure to obtain the certificate in September alone will not result in their pension being stopped. The authority has not announced any new deadline requiring all pensioners to obtain the certificate solely to continue receiving payments.
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