Pensioners in Pakistan can now obtain their Proof of Life Certificate (PoLC) free of charge through the PakID mobile app, allowing them to complete the verification process from home.
The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has also expanded access to the service through NADRA Registration Centres, Union Councils, e-Sahulat franchises and mobile registration services across the country.
The initiative was launched on the special directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in coordination with the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control, Ministry of Defence, Controller General of Accounts (CGA) and Military Accountant General (MAG).
A Proof of Life Certificate is an official document confirming that a pensioner is alive and is generally required for the continuation of pension payments.
How to get Proof of Life Certificate through PakID
The easiest way for pensioners to obtain the certificate is through the PakID mobile application.
First, download the PakID app and create an account. After logging in, select the Proof of Life option from the biometrics section.
If you are applying for yourself, select “Myself.” If you are assisting an eligible family member, select “My Blood Relatives.”
A pensioner’s spouse, son, daughter, parents, sister or brother can submit the request through their own PakID account. However, the pensioner must be present during the verification process.
Next, check the applicant’s details and proceed with facial verification. Follow the instructions displayed on the screen to properly capture the pensioner’s face.
Once facial verification is completed, the app will require fingerprint verification. Complete the biometric verification and tap “Apply” to submit the request.
How to download the Proof of Life Certificate
After submitting the application, open the ID Vault section in the PakID app.
Go to My Documents and open the POLC folder. The Proof of Life Certificate should appear there once the application has been successfully processed.
The certificate will also be sent electronically to the relevant pension authority.
Once the certificate is issued, the pensioner’s pension can continue for the next six months without interruption, subject to the applicable pension rules.
Other ways to obtain the certificate
Pensioners who cannot use the PakID app can obtain the Proof of Life Certificate free of charge through several other service points.
NADRA said the facility is available at more than 5,000 e-Sahulat franchises, over 988 NADRA Registration Centres and around 500 Union Councils.
Pensioners visiting Union Councils and NADRA Registration Centres are being provided priority services without having to wait in the regular queue.
For elderly, bedridden and differently abled pensioners who cannot easily travel to a service point, NADRA has also made the service available through Mobile Registration Vans, Biker Services and ManPack registration services.
National Pensioners Register introduced
The Proof of Life service is part of a wider reform initiative under which NADRA has established a National Pensioners Register.
In its first phase, pensioners administered by the CGA and MAG have been included in the register. The system provides an authenticated digital reference for verifying a pensioner’s identity and life status.
The system is designed to reduce the need for pensioners and their families to repeatedly provide the same information to different institutions.
If the death of a primary or secondary pensioner is reported by a health facility through NADRA’s Death Notification Tool or recorded in the Civil Registration Management System (CRMS), NADRA will provide daily digital information to the relevant pension controller.
Similarly, changes affecting the eligibility of secondary or family pensioners, including age and marital status, will be communicated to pension controllers when such changes are reflected in NADRA’s records.
However, NADRA clarified that decisions regarding the continuation, modification or discontinuation of a pension will remain with the authorised pension authority under the applicable rules.
Banks can also verify pensioners digitally
NADRA has introduced a separate verification facility for authorised banks, allowing them to directly check a pensioner’s Proof of Life status through the National Pensioners Register.
The digital system is expected to reduce the need for pensioners to repeatedly visit banks or pension offices and lessen reliance on paper-based verification for pension payments.
NADRA plans to expand the National Pensioners Register in its next phase to include pensioners from other federal and provincial government institutions, public-sector organisations and private-sector entities.
The integrated system is intended to make the Proof of Life process easier for pensioners while providing pension authorities and banks with more up-to-date and verified information.
