The President/Chief Executives

All Banks.

Dear Sirs/Madam,

OPENING OF ACCOUNT IN EARTHQUAKE AFFECTED AREAS
IN THE ABSENCE OF CNIC AND OTHER DOCUMENTS

The Government of Pakistan has started payment of relief cheques through the Earth Quake Relief Commission. The cheques+ issued by the Relief Commission to such affected people are Crossed Cheques “A/C Payee only”.

2. In order to facilitate the opening of accounts by the affected persons, the banks can open these accounts for the payment of compensation, as a special case, even if CNIC and other identification documents are not available with the affected persons. This is subject to the following conditions.

I. Accounts of major (age 18 years and above) individual, subject to identification/introduction and verification by Relief Commissioner/Authorized Officials alongwith duly attested/identified photograph. In addition to the foregoing, the introduction/verification on account opening forms can also be done by any two of the following:

i. Patwari of the Area	iv. Member of Union Counsel
ii. Any Government Official	v. Post Master/Postman
iii. Member of Legislative Assembly	vi. Any other elected representative of the area

II. Accounts of minors, who are left without any guardians due to deaths, by identification & verification by Relief Commissioner/Authorized Officials with duly attested/identified photograph and consent to operate the account.

III. No other instruments, except Crossed Cheque issued by the Relief Commissioner, can be deposited in such accounts.

3. It may please be noted that the above instructions are one time exemption allowed only to facilitate payments to the people of the earthquake affected areas and will cease to exist on 30-06-2006. Fresh accounts can then be opened by following the procedure of account opening, as mentioned in the para M-1 of Prudential Regulations for Corporate/ Commercial Banking.