The Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) pensions to be increased from today May 1, 2025, according to officials from the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis. The announcement was made during a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting chaired by Junaid Akbar, which also highlighted serious irregularities in pension disbursement.
EOBI Pensions to be Determined by CNIC Data
During the session, PAC was informed that the age of EOBI pensioners will now be determined using NADRA’s CNIC records rather than matriculation certificates. This change aims to prevent manipulation of age and ensure only eligible individuals receive pensions.
The Secretary of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis confirmed the new criteria and assured the committee that pending cases will now be settled based on CNIC data.
Over Rs2.79 Billion Paid to Fake Pensioners
A startling revelation came from audit officials who reported that Rs2.79 billion had been disbursed to 5,131 ineligible or fake pensioners. These individuals either had discrepancies in their age documents or did not meet the minimum age requirement – 60 for men and 55 for women.
The audit report stated that out of nearly 800,000 pensioners, data for over 5,000 individuals was found to be incorrect. In several cases, people received pensions despite not meeting the required age criteria due to forged or conflicting documentation.
EOBI’s Fund and Compliance Status
EOBI officials disclosed that the institution currently holds a fund of Rs600 billion. There are around 10 million businesses in the country, and any business employing 10 or more people is legally required to register with EOBI. However, compliance remains a challenge.
Audit officials also revealed that Rs2.47 billion remains unrecovered from 2,864 institutions that either underreported their workforce or failed to pay the required contributions. So far, Rs1.53 billion has been recovered, while efforts are underway to recover the remaining Rs1 billion, some of which is tied up in litigation.
PAC Issues Directives for Recovery and Accountability
PAC Chairman Junaid Akbar Khan emphasized the need for a uniform age verification system using NADRA data to prevent future fraud. He directed the EOBI and the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis to complete all recovery efforts within a month and to submit a detailed report on the fraudulent disbursements and recovery progress.
The Ministry has requested one month to rectify the discrepancies and streamline the pension approval system.
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