Trust pensioners

The government has introduced a new system of automatic transfer of pensions to bank accounts. This is a commendable step but the procedure specified for pensioners, including those disabled, such as attestation of photos, CNICs, a life certificate, an indemnity bond, etc, by gazetted officers is complex and cumbersome.

How will some million pensioners of all status everywhere find gazetted officers willing to verify and sign all these documents? It is time to trust each other, and minimise and simplify the procedure to make life easier for everyone. The government is requested to accept the existing credentials of pensioners maintained by the relevant departments, trust most pensioners, introduce the new system and let bankers enter pensions received in pension books and certify life. Any violator of the trust can be prosecuted.

M Akram Niazi

Rawalpindi