Afghan refugees holding a valid Proof of Registration (PoR) card are allowed to open bank accounts in Pakistan, said the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
“In order to open the accounts of Afghan refugees, the banks may accept PoR cards, issued by National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), as their identity document,” the apex bank stated in a circular issued on Thursday.
SBP said that NADRA had activated online verification system for PoR cards since February 26.
Earlier on February 25, Prime Minister Imran Khan had issued directives for the opening of bank accounts of the registered Afghan refugees.
In his tweet, the PM had said, “I have issued instructions today that Afghan refugees who are registered can open bank accounts and from now onwards they can participate in the formal economy of the country. This should have been done a long time ago.”
In his maiden visit to Karachi on Sunday (September 18, 2018), Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced that Afghans and Bengalis living in the country for many decades would be issued identity cards and passports, which would effectively make them formal citizens of Pakistan.
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