Safdar Hamdani
The Agony of the Life Certificate
Proof of Being Alive — Not Just a Paper, but a Torment
The lives of overseas Pakistanis are already suspended between two worlds—one of the heart, the other of necessity. But when, in this suspended existence, they are required every six months to provide “proof of being alive,” it ceases to be merely an administrative requirement and becomes a source of distress. This distress is called: the Life Certificate.
The State Bank of Pakistan and the relevant financial institutions perhaps forget that the people from whom they demand this certificate are not fictional characters, but the very Pakistanis who devoted their youth to the country and now, in old age, live abroad, relying on their pensions. The question is: is it really necessary for an elderly pensioner to go through this complicated paperwork every six months?
Interestingly—and to some extent painfully—in most countries abroad, particularly in Western nations, there is no such requirement as a “Life Certificate” for pensioners. There, the state trusts its citizens and completes verification through modern digital systems. In contrast, our situation is quite the opposite, where an elderly person must repeatedly struggle to prove that they are alive.
Adding to the hardship, overseas Pakistanis often have to visit Pakistani embassies or consulates to obtain this certificate. This process is not only time-consuming but also involves paying a fee. Consulates are not present in every city, forcing elderly pensioners to undertake long journeys—sometimes for hours, sometimes an entire day. For someone in the final stage of life seeking ease, this ordeal is nothing short of a trial.
In this age of technology, when bank transactions are completed at the click of a button, and biometric and digital systems exist for identity verification, why insist on outdated procedures for something like a Life Certificate? This is not only unnecessary but also inhumane.
Overseas pensioners urgently need this process to be made simple, accessible, and aligned with modern requirements. The State Bank should issue clear instructions to all banks to provide dedicated email addresses for pension account holders, where life certificates can be easily submitted. Additionally, commonly used platforms like WhatsApp should also be integrated into this process so that elderly individuals can send their documents without difficulty.
Modern life certificates now carry QR codes, which are sufficient for verification. If scanning these codes can confirm authenticity within moments, why insist on the physical presence of the original document? Is this merely a matter of outdated tradition or systemic inefficiency?
In reality, this issue is not just about convenience but also about dignity. For an elderly person, already seeking peace in the final decades of life, being made to prove “you are alive” is a subtle yet deeply painful experience.
We must understand that the role of the state is to facilitate its citizens, not entangle them in unnecessary complications. Especially those citizens who, despite living abroad, remain connected to their country, should not be subjected to further hardship.
The time has come for the State Bank of Pakistan to take this matter seriously and introduce a comprehensive, digital, and humane policy—one that not only eases the burden on pensioners but also modernizes Pakistan’s financial system.
In the end, the question is simple:
Do we want to take away even this small ease from our elders?
Or do we want to build a system where proving one is alive does not become a burden greater than life itself?
