The Punjab government has restored the lifetime pension policy for widows, reversing the previous rule that limited pension payments to 10 years after the death of a government employee.
Widows and unmarried daughters of deceased government employees will now be entitled to receive pensions for life. However, the pension will cease if a widow remarries.
The new rules also clarify that if a deceased government employee had more than one wife, the pension will be distributed equally among all eligible widows.
The decision was approved during a provincial cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, following which the Punjab Finance Department issued an official notification.
The move overturns the earlier policy that capped widow pension benefits at 10 years, restoring lifelong financial support for eligible family members.
Earlier, Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb had announced a new digital pension verification system that will use facial recognition technology.
According to the details, the new system will allow pensioners to complete the process from home without going to a bank.
Digital pension verification
Speaking during a National Assembly session, the finance minister said that elderly pensioners will be able to verify their identity through facial recognition instead of appearing in person.
He also said that the new system will make the process easier and more convenient for pensioners.
Aurangzeb also spoke about the government’s budget priorities. He said that several measures have been introduced to increase the number of taxpayers in the country.
He added that the government wants to use digital technology and artificial intelligence to reduce human discretion in government systems.
The finance minister also informed lawmakers that the salaries and pensions of government employees have been increased.
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