Last Change:

04/30/2025

State Bank of Pakistan Circular Letter No. 02 of 2019 - Acceptance of Proof of Registration (PoR) Card held by Afghan Refugees as Valid Identity Document for Account Opening

Year: 2019

Type: Domestic policy

Rights Category: Work & Workplace rights, Documentation

Link to external source: https://www.sbp.org.pk/bprd/2019/CL2.htm
Description

The BPRD Circular Letter No. 02 of 2019 issued by the State Bank of Pakistan to the Presidents/ Chief Executives of all Banks/ Development Finance Institutions on 28 February 2019 notifies that PoR Cards held by Afghan Refugees will be accepted as a valid identity document for opening a bank account. This guidance is in line with the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Regulations issued vide BPRD Circular No. 2 dated September 13, 2012 as amended from time to time. 

 


 

Selected provisions
Paragraph 2

NADRA has informed that biometric verification for opening bank accounts of Afghan refugees holding Proof of Registration (PoR) Card has been made live w.e.f February 26, 2019 over the existing established linkage of CNIC verification. The biometric verification service for Afghan refugees holding PoR Card would work similar to the CNIC biometric verification system.

Paragraph 3

Accordingly, for opening accounts of Afghan refugees holding PoR Card, banks/DFIs may accept the valid Proof of Registration (PoR) Card issued by NADRA as identity document. In this regard, banks/DFIs shall verify the identity of the Afghan refugees holding PoR Card through NADRA biometric verification system for opening of account.

Paragraph 4

Moreover, for services offered by banks to their account holders, where CNIC and biometric verification is required under AML/CFT Regulations, valid biometrically verified PoR Card is acceptable as identity document.