Nadra makes Proof of Life certificate free for pensioners, expands access points

The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) has announced a new initiative to make the Proof of Life Certificate (PoLC) free of charge for pensioners. The move aims to expand access to the document across Pakistan, including through the PakID mobile app, registration centres, union councils, and e-Sahulat franchises.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the initiative, which involved coordination with multiple ministries including Interior, Defence, and the Controller General of Accounts. A PoLC serves as an official document confirming a pensioner's vitality, and eligible pensioners can obtain it digitally through the PakID app, or through their own PakID account with the help of an immediate family member.

Those preferring assisted services can get the certificate for free at more than 5,000 e-Sahulat franchises, 988 Nadra Registration Centres, and 500 Union Councils. For those unable to access these service points, Nadra offers mobile registration vans, biker services, and ManPack registration services to cater to pensioners with limited mobility.

Nadra has integrated the PoLC service into its broader reform efforts, establishing a National Pensioners Register. The register provides daily digital intimation to pension controllers in case of a pensioner's death, as reported through the Death Notification Tool by health facilities or the Civil Registration Management System.

Any changes affecting pension entitlements, such as changes in age or marital status, will also be communicated daily to pension controllers through the register. Banks can now use the National Pensioners Register as a digital channel to verify the proof-of-life status of pensioners, streamlining the disbursement process and reducing reliance on physical or paper-based verifications.

Nadra plans to expand the register in the upcoming phase to include pensioners from other federal and provincial government organizations, public-sector bodies, and private institutions, once agreements are concluded.