Biometric System Failure at HBL Quetta Branch Forces Pensioners to Pay Fees at Private Centers

Quetta: Senior citizens receiving pensions in Quetta are facing serious difficulties due to frequent failures in the biometric verification system at the Habib Bank Limited (HBL) Jinnah Road Branch.

Pensioners are required to undergo mandatory biometric verification every six months, but the system often malfunctions, forcing them to visit private centers such as HBL Connect and other authorized facilities. Reports indicate that these private centers charge Rs 200 to 300 per verification, placing an additional financial burden on elderly pensioners living on limited incomes.

Affected pensioners have expressed concern and urged the State Bank of Pakistan and HBL senior management to take immediate action. They demanded that the bank ensure free biometric verification within its branches, so that pensioners do not have to pay extra fees or travel to external centers unnecessarily.