LARKANA: Woes of the retired Sindh government servants did not end as they were seen roaming around the National Bank of Pakistan branches in Larkana, Ratodero and Naundero on Friday for payment of their monthly pension amount for verification of fingerprints.
Many of the aged women and men who have lost thumb impression or fingerprints due to age were given a list of documents to complete and further directed to submit a doctor’s certificate that they have no thumb impression or fingerprint signs which has disappeared due to age or any other factor after which their pension amount will be released or their accounts will continue to be locked.
As many as 14 such cases of lost fingerprints were sent from Naundero branch to head office in Karachi who will verify and then release the payment, said the NBP, Naundero branch operation manager Ashique Mirani. He said payment of those pensioners will be released whose fingerprints have been verified.
This practice has recently been launched to protect duplication and those who have expired but the alive aged pensioners said that when they are alive and the bank employees can verify them from their presence and the photo affixed on their CNIC then why medical certificate and other documents? they questioned. Medical certificate is required for those who have lost fingerprints. They said they were punished for negligence of others in this age for their own pension which is highly condemnable.
They said instead of easing the procedures the Sindh Government bosses are harassing them for corruption of others for which they should be taken to task as nowhere in the world such tactics and treatment is meted out with pensioners. They have demanded that monthly pension payment procedures be made easy so that they should not suffer in the hot weather and at the hands of bank employees.