A bank account opening might be a real hassle. The prerequisites for opening an account differ between banks, and some tend to ask more questions than others. If you have a job, it is considerably more difficult because you need extra paperwork to confirm your employment.
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has introduced a new service, however, that enables you to open a bank account from the comfort of your home. Even if you don’t have a working internet connection, you can still accomplish this.
Through SBP’s new Asaan Mobile Account service, you can now open a bank account by sending an SMS to *2262#. The above picture lists each of the necessary stages. Sending an SMS to the aforementioned code will get you registered, allow you to choose a bank, input your CNIC information, and grant you a PIN for your account.
Salman Sufi, head of the Prime Minister’s Strategic Reforms Unit, tweeted the information. Although he states that “women and transsexual citizens” should be accommodated, it is important to note that the facility is accessible to everybody.
However, the government representative made it clear that women are given special attention because they frequently experience difficulties when creating bank accounts.Salman Sufi replied to a user who asked how the bank account will function with regard to verification, deposits, transfers, withdrawals, and other features by saying that everything can be done via SMS.
It will be interesting to see how this service develops and how the general public, particularly women and transgender people, respond to it.
