Pakistan – Step forward, reform and compete with the rest of the world – Part 7.

Pakistan – Step forward, reform and compete

with the rest of the world – Part 7.

 Uzbekistan has 19.76 million workers.  All 19.76 million Uzbek workers are registered in pension scheme and their employers regularly contribute 12% of the gross salary as their pension contribution every month.

 How is it made possible?

Uzbekistan’s Personal Identification Number (PINFL), a unique 14-digit code assigned to each citizen, is essentially the same as the Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) of Pakistan. But that is where this similarity ends.

The Uzbek government provides a Single Portal for Interactive Public Services (my.gov.uz) where every citizen can log in with his PINFL and electronically receive over 200 government services – without visiting any offices, sending applications or providing photocopies. One such service is the access to personal pension account information.  

Every employee has complete access to all details of pension. An employee can anytime verify if the 12 % annual pension contribution is being regularly deposited in his account by the employer or not and the total amount contributed so far. 

Now back to EOBI -the workers’ pension scheme in Pakistan: 

1. Pakistan has a work force of 82 million workers.
2. Of these 82 million workers only 9.8 million are registered in EOBI.
3. Of the 9.8 million registered workers, the monthly EOBI contribution is deposited for only for 4.7 million workers.
4. As of March 2025, only 850,000 workers are actually receiving EOBI pension.
5. What sin have the Pakistani workers committed? Why are 77.3 million workers deprived of their legally entitled right of pension. This may well be one of the most tragic acts of inhumanity and cruelty committed in this century.
6. Should the existing EOBI not be disbanded? It failed to make employers deposit EOBI contributions for 100% of workers employed by them.  Why must it not be replaced by an efficient transparent digital system that ensures 100 % EOBI pension inclusion for all 82 million workers of Pakistan.

 Naeem Sadiq

April 2, 2025